HINDUS AND CHRISTIANS CLASH OVER CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS IN

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000385

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI ASEC IN
SUBJECT: HINDUS AND CHRISTIANS CLASH OVER CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS IN
EASTERN INDIAN STATE OF ORISSA



1. (U) Summary: Since December 24 one person has been killed,
at least 30 persons injured and several churches have been
damaged as tribal Christians and Hindu fundamentalists have
clashed over Christmas celebrations in the eastern Indian state
of Orissa. Trouble started on December 24, when a local Hindu
group linked to the Hindu fundamentalist Vishwa Hindu Parishad
(VHP) objected to a welcome arch being built as part of the
Christmas decorations in the town of Bamunigaon. While Orissa's
administration tried to contain the violence by imposing curfew
and by arresting the arsonists, Christian groups complained of
the authorities' lapses and inability to protect religious
minorities. This recent religious violence demonstrates that
Christian groups are now more willing to retaliate against
perceived persecution as Orissa continues to be communally
polarized eight years after the death of Australian missionary
Graham Staines in a fire set by VHP members. End Summary.


2. (U) One person was killed, approximately 30 people injured,
and ten churches damaged as Hindu and Christian groups fought
with each other in Orissa's Kandhamal district during Christmas
celebrations. The tribal-dominated area is located in Central
Orissa, about 80 miles west of state capital Bhubaneswar.
Violence, which started at the Bamunigaon area, soon spread to
other locations. The district administration imposed curfew at
Phulbani, Baliguda, Daringbadi and Bamunigaon and arrested 25
persons for arson. The situation remained tense on December 26,
although there were no further reports of violence.


3. (SBU) Trouble started on December 24 when a local Hindu
group of the VHP objected to the welcome arch being built as
part of Christmas decorations in Bamunigaon, complaining that
the arch was inappropriately large. An altercation followed
between the VHP and the organizers, who were Christians
belonging to the local Kui tribe. Reverend P.R. Parichha,
Director of Bhubaneswar-based India Evangelist Association,
later told post that the VHP men attacked with guns and swords.
One person was killed and three others were injured. Violence
soon spread to other areas. The Roman Catholic Church at
Baliguda town was attacked by a mob and ransacked. The church's
computer center was destroyed and an ambulance was set on fire.


4. (U) The violence continued on December 25, when the convoy
of Baba Laxmanananda Saraswati -- a local spiritual leader
connected to the VHP - was attacked by the tribal Christians
while on its way to Bamunigaon. Although the leader escaped,
the attack enraged his disciples. Christian groups accused
Laxmanananda of inciting the violence. The VHP mob retaliated
by damaging the Bamunigaon church and attacking the Church of
North India (Anglican) church (CN) at nearby Baliguda. A World
Vision outreach office at Daringbadi was also damaged and two
jeeps and a motorcycle were set on fire.


5. (U) The Police Station at Tikabali -- a block headquarters
-- was surrounded and two police jeeps were burned. Two
churches in Chakapadu area were attacked and people were beaten
up during the service. Meals prepared for a feast were
destroyed. No church service was allowed in Phulbani, even
though the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police
were present. The district administration said the churches
would have to conduct services at their own risk. The
Chandballi Baptist Church in Balasore district was attacked
during the services as well.


6. (SBU) COMMENT: These recent communal clashes come eight
years after the death of Australian Missionary Graham Staines
and his two sons in 1999, when they were burned to death by a
VHP mob while they slept in a van. Since then, although there
has been a persistent undercurrent of tension between the two
communities, Orissa has experienced no major episode of communal
violence. Christian groups have complained to post about the
slow and inadequate response by the Orissa state administration
to the clashes. The lack of an adequate response by authorities
reflects the poor local governance and the tacit support of the
VHP by the state-ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD),which governs in
coalition with the national Bharata Janata Party (BJP). The
current round of communal strife was unusual in that Christian
groups, who so far have always been at the receiving end of
threats by the VHP, were willing to retaliate so forcefully.

JARDINE