New Year Brings Chaos for India, Pakistan
By Gary Lane
CBN News
January 4, 2008
CBNNews.com - The New Year has brought anything but peace for the people of India and Pakistan.
The assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan sparked riots and calls for President Pervez Musharraf's resignation.
Meanwhile in India, attacks on Christian churches in Orissa state left at least nine people dead.
Christmas Rampage
Militant Hindus armed with clubs went on a rampage beginning Christmas Eve, pillaging and burning Christian churches, schools and homes in the Kandhamal district of India's Orissa state.
According to compass direct news service, nine people were killed in the violence, 90 churches were set ablaze and 600 homes were burned or vandalized. Members of the Militant World Hindu Council, or VHP were to blame.
More than 700 Christians were moved to refugee centers while several thousand Christians fled into nearby forests.
By phone, the president of the Global Council of Indian Christians, Sajan George, told CBN News the believers are hiding in the forest because they don't trust the government to protect them from further attacks.
Most are men, but women - some in advanced stages of pregnancy - and children are also hiding there.
"Their shelter is under the trees. They don't have anything with them and now you know, most of them have a problem with drinking water. They don't have enough food there. They live on whatever they can get from the root," George said.
Gospel for Asia's K.P. Yohannan says Christians in India are concerned the violence against them may spread to other states, but they are remaining steadfast.
"People are not going around complaining and murmuring. They are suffering, but what I am hearing is that there is a sense of joy and determination to continue to serve God - especially Christian workers," Yohannan said.
And missionary to India Gladys Staines is calling on political leaders to restore harmony.
Her husband Graham Staines and sons Timothy and Phillip were murdered by militant Hindus in Orissa state in 1999.
Mrs. Staines publicly forgave the killers. She's calling on the people of Orissa to do the same today.
Musharaff Asked to Resign
Meanwhile in neighboring Pakistan opposition parties are again calling on Musharraf to resign.
This week the Pakistani election commission rescheduled national elections for a month later than originally planned, now February 18.
The decision comes in the wake of the assassination of opposition leader Bhutto. Musharraf has asked Britain's Scotland Yard to help in the investigation.
Yohannan says Pakistani Christians view the former prime minister's murder as a major setback for them.
"She was the friend of Christians in a sense and there was really the expectation, hope and dream that she would become prime minister which would have opened the door for freedom and more help for minorities, especially Christians," Yohannan said.
Now Christians in Pakistan and India are forced to rely on God's protection rather than that of their government.
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
