In India, 4 Christian families beaten and expelled for their faith

“At around 7:30 am, the crowd broke into our homes and started beating us. There was a crowd in front of our house and we were really scared. We ran into the jungle to save our lives. "

Four Christian families were victims of persecution in India, in the state of Orissa. All of them lived in the village of Ladamila. On September 19, they were violently attacked and then expelled. A few days later, their houses were set on fire.

Christians were ordered this month to stop using the communal well because they refused to renounce their Christian faith. But Christian families continued to draw water.

Susanta Diggal is one of the victims of this attack. She testifies to the aggression, in remarks taken up by International Christian Concern.

“At around 7:30 am, the crowd broke into our homes and started beating us. There was a crowd in front of our house and we were really scared. We ran into the jungle to save our lives. Later, the four families who fled the village met in the jungle. We walked together to avoid any predicament. "

Six days later, their homes were set on fire. The families have been warned, they can only return to the village if they renounce their Christian faith. Today, the 25 Christians thus made homeless, would have been taken in a neighboring village.

These families are part of the Dalit caste and belong to the Pentecostal Christian community, the Jesus Calls Prayer Tower.

Bishop John Barwa is Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. He deplores “discriminatory and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”.

“After every peace-building effort, our Christians suffer discriminatory and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. It is very painful and also shameful that nothing can stop the aggression and harassment of Christians, it is inhuman behavior. Can you talk to people who deny their own villagers 'water to drink'? This inhuman behavior must be stopped immediately and those involved in these cruel actions must be punished firmly according to the law. These episodes create insecurity and fear among people who are stigmatized and threatened solely because of their faith in Jesus. "

MC

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