Imphal Christians against Orissa violence

Hundreds of Christians Wednesday march on the streets in Imphal to protest against the violent attacks on Christians in Orissa.Placards with slogans like, “Safeguard freedom of religion”, “Protect secularism in India”, “Protect places of worship”, “Rebuild the houses of the victims”, “Compensate the losses”, “We denounce the killing of VHP leader” were displayed during the rally.In the rally organized by the All Manipur Christian Organization, an apex body of people following Christian religion in Manipur, people coming from different places of the state took part. Christian leaders of the state while speaking at the public meeting condemned the atrocities and violence like burning down of churches and houses of Christians in Orissa in the last around one month.Quoting a report published in a weekly “The Herald” published from Kolkata, a spokesperson of the organizers said that in the recent violent attacks on the Christians in Orissa, 4104 homesteads and shops extending over 194 villages in Orissa were torched or dismantled while more than 50 churches were destroyed.Apart from rendering homeless thousands of Christians, many schools and people including school children were assaulted by the attackers who blamed the Christian for the killing of a VHP leader in the state on August 23.The attacks on the Christians were committed despite Maoist activists owning responsibility for the murder of the VHP leader, the spokesperson said.He also said that the recent incidents of attacks on Christians in the state were not new, recounting the incidents of attacks on Christians in December 2007.He also said that there was no “forced conversion” in Orissa or any other parts of the country observing, “No one can force a man to convert his religion. It is one’s own will to follow a religion.” Today’s rally was organized to show solidarity to the Christians and demand a CBI probe into the violent attacks on Christians, he said.The Christians in Orissa, mention may be made, are demanding a CBI probe into the murder of the VHP leader and the attacks on the Christians and award of befitting punishment to the culprits behind the crimes.To arrest leaders of the organizations initiating the violence against Christians immediately, to protect minorities and their institutions, to take up relief measures and rehabilitation works for the victim people, to compensate adequately for the losses are the other demands of the Christians.