Dear Friends

New Year Greetings

I have just returned - at 2.20 a.m. on 4th January, after spending a
total of more five days in two stretches in the Kandhamal District of
Orissa which saw unprecedented violence against Christians from
Christmas Eve 24th December 2008 to 27th December 2008.

I am submitting a preliminary report on my Fact Finding five day visit
tomorrow, 5th January 2008 with initial facts,  role of police and
district authorities, the Sangh Parivar role in the violence, caution,
and suggestions that need be heeded.  The Fact Finding initial report
will be released at a press conference in Bhubaneswar on 5th January
2008.

The full report will be possible within a fortnight.

The great human tragedy and violence against Christians in the
Kandhamal hills district of Orissa was waiting to happen.

It was part of a great conspiracy and the guilty are identified and
known.

The tragedy will repeat again unless urgent steps are taken.

It was also a first time that a group of Hindu villagers were
attacked. This must never happen again, whatever is the provocation.
Fortunately, no one was hurt though village houses were burnt. This
was also the first time that such a large number of Christian
villagers were displaced and had to live in refugee camps after their
houses were brunt.

I and my fact finding team which assisted me - including Advocate Fr
Nicholas Barla of Rourkela, and Bhubaneswar social activist and Kui
culture expert Mr. Hemant Nayak - could visit almost every single town
and major hamlet of the Kandhamal district which was target of arson
and pillage. We also visited the two refugees' camps, one in which
every refugee is Christian, and the other with a mixed population, in
the region.

Before going, we had met Home Minister of India, the Governor and
Chief Ministers of Orissa and senior officials in New Delhi and
Orissa. Others Christina leaders, including Cardinal Telesphore Topo,
Bhubaneswar Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, svd, and Delhi Archbishop
Vincent Concessao, have at various times met President Pratibha Patil,
Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh, Home Minister Patil, Orissa Governor
Mr. Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare and Chief Minister Naveen
Pattanaik, and National human Rights Commission and the National
Minorities Commission.

Union Home Minister Patil made a helicopter visit to Barakhama town
and visited the refugee camp and the CNI church which was one of many
burnt. Patil was accompanied by the Orissa Chief Minister, the Orissa
Congress leader Jayanti Ballabh Pattanaik and other local political
leaders.

Famous director Mahesh Bhatt and Maharashtra Minorities Commission
Vice chairman Abraham Mathai came to Bhubaneswar and met the Chief
Minister.

A delegation of MPs is in Bhubaneswar and trying to go to the affected
district.

CBCI Cardinal Topo is also in Bhubaneswar, and met the Chief Minister
who was told him he should not go to the affected district till later.

Copies of the Fact Finding Report will be submitted to the President
and Prime Minister of India, the Governor and Chief Minister of
Orissa, the Chairmen of the national Human Rights Commission and the
National Minorities Commission, the Catholic Bishops Conference, the
National Council of Churches in India, the All India Catholic Union
and the All India Christian Council. Copies will also be given to
major Human Rights organizations in India and broad.

Orissa is a peaceful state, where Emperor Ashoka, after a great
battle, turned to peace. It was once, though not now, home to vibrant
Buddhism and pacificism. Unfortunately, it is also the state where
Graham Stuart Staines and his you sons Timothy and Philip were burnt
alive in January 1998, and Faster Doss was speared to death. Sporadic
violence has traumatized the Christian community many times in the
past. The state, among the richest in mineral resources, also has a
record of violence related to iniquities in development.  I hope the
authorities will have learnt their lesson this time.

John Dayal