Release International

Attacks on India's Christians continue with disturbing regularity, despite the authorities' promises to do more to protect religious minorities after the Orissa riots.

It is just over a year since Hindu militants in Orissa state launched a concerted campaign of violence against Christians, which spread into several other states. And, although the authorities have made strong claims about upholding religious freedom, attacks on Christians are frequent – and sometimes vicious.

On August 11, 30 Hindu militants attacked Christians at a teacher training meeting in Annigere, Karnataka, burning all their Bibles and ordering them to stop meeting. Instead of arresting the militants, police arrested eight pastors on the militants' baseless claims of 'forcible conversion'. They were later charged with 'unlawful assembly' and 'acts intended to outrage religious feelings', among other things, and sent to judicial custody until August 25.

Meanwhile, in Herekeru, Haveri, 25 extremists attacked Pastor Ajit Kumar on August 7, accusing him of forced conversion. His church is now under police protection. And the following day, in Maharashtra, militants assaulted two missionaries for screening the Man of Mercy film about Jesus in a private courtyard.

Last year's violence was triggered by the murder of a prominent Hindu militant leader, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, on August 23 – the Hindu festival of Janmastami. Orissa was in a state of high alert, with special police reinforcements deployed in particular areas, during this year's festival. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has now added India's name to a list of countries which fail to protect religious minorities.

(Sources: All India Christian Council, AsiaNews, Assist News Service, BBC, Compass Direct)

• Ask God to bless the ministries of all Christian leaders suffering persecution.
• Pray that the Indian authorities will do more to protect Christians.
 

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