Bhubaneswar: The survivors of anti-Christian massacres that occurred in 2008 in Kandhamal district in the Indian state of Orissa have called to end crisis in Syria.
This was one of the unanimous voices when about 80 survivors of the violence, organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, gathered at Pastoral Center in Konjamendi, in Kandhamal district on Feb 9 for the first ever meeting of the survivors of anti-Christian pogrom.
Like Kandhamal anti-Christian persecution of 2007 and 2008, there are many nations are facing crisis in different forms and degrees. One of such nations that is facing is Syria. Thus, the survivors of anti-Christian massacres do “think and feel” for Syrian people and its refugees who are scattered in many countries. Violence in Syria should end soon,” said Christudas Nayak, one of the participants.
“We cannot but express our sense of solidarity for the Syrian people who are facing huge crisis and their lives are in danger. We pray for them that peace may be restored there and human rights and dignity might prevail over there soon,” Nayak, a Christian said.
The deadliest outbreak of the religious and ethnic cleansing of Christians and Yezdi in the Middle East especially of Syria and Iraq for more than four years have brought an unimaginable suffering to the millions of the people just because they profess different faith cannot be comprehended. It is crime against humanity; majority of the nations yet to awaken to these deadly realities, said Father Ajaya Kumar Singh, a priest and activist for human rights who works among the victims of anti-Christian violence, and coordinates the social work of the local Church.
“I happen to hear the testimony of a few victims’ survivors of this genocide, barbaric assaults on women and children in more brutal manner. In this crisis, victims survivors of Kandhamal who experienced and witnessed assaults, killings, rapes and destructions of life and livelihoods and chase from their own places do understand and share the with the persecuted Christians of Syria,” said Father Singh, a priest of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.
It is overwhelmed to note Kandhamal shows solidarity with persecuted Christians in Syria and calls for action to end the violence and return of the people that have fled the areas, he added.
The purpose of the meeting among the survivors of anti-Christian massacres was come together for the first time to share their struggle for justice and dignity. The meeting aimed to give hope and to build solidarity among survivors, who have lost their loved ones, said Father Manoj Nayak, local organizer and human rights activist.
The event was organized to foster communion among the survivors. They shared their stories of stories of hope, of faith and struggle of justice, said Runima Digal, a survivor.
The key features of the meet was paying silent tributes to those who lost their lives during the Kandhamal violence in 2007 and 2008, sharing of their struggles and hope, and updating on their justice issue.
Kandhamal district in eastern Orissa, was the scene of the worst anti-Christian violence in the history of modern India. The violence, which lasted nearly four months, caused the death of 90 deaths and 50,000 displaced people fled their homes and villages.