No sign of India violence subsiding, says ministry

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/no.sign.of.india.violence.subsiding.says.ministry/21358.htm

[Christianity Today UK] 5 Sep 2008--More than a week after the outbreak of violence in Orissa, the situation is getting worse with no sign of subsiding, reported a Christian ministry working in India.

Religious violence between Hindus and Christians in the north-eastern state has killed at least 16 people, mainly Christians.

Thousands of Christians have been forced to take refuge in government buildings, makeshift camps, and forests in Orissa state after Hindu mobs torched churches, Christian-owned homes and businesses, as well as an orphanage following the murder of a Hindu leader.

Christians have denied involvement in the death of the radical leader, who was running a campaign against Christian conversion at the time, but Hindus in the region insist that “Christian militants” were behind the death.

Police have blamed Maoist rebels for the murder, whilst the rebels have also claimed responsibility for the death. Yet Hindu mobs maintain that Christians are to blame for the incident.

Indian Christian leaders believe the Hindus are just using the death as an excuse to attack Christians in the state long tarnished by sectarian violence.

Hundreds of homes have been burned and looted, whilst the government has been slow to respond to the Hindu mobs.