Tribal animists have forced more than 50 Christians from three villages to flee their homes and take shelter in the jungles of eastern India. But when they notified the police about the attacks, instead of receiving help, they were told to renounce Christ to resolve the conflict.
One Christian said: ‘They told us that we should step back, deny our Christian faith and come back to our tribal fold; only then peace will return. But what is the use of such a faith?’
The Christians belong to 13 tribal families of Rayagada District, Odisha state, who have been stranded in the jungle without proper shelter, food, water and electricity. ‘It is the rainy season now, and we fear the sickness that comes with rainfall, the poisonous insects, and the unhygienic conditions we are living in,’ said Nori Kanjaka of Sikarpai village.
