Violence against Christians in Orissa subsiding? {updated}

{updated 4:30pm, see below}

Despite some reports of violence spreading, overall, the situation appear to be improving:

Violence against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa appears to be subsiding after 26 people were killed and 4,000 Christian homes, churches and centers were destroyed by Hindu extremists.

Fides News Agency is reporting that local police authorities say the violence has tapered off after a curfew was established on Monday. The police are continuing to patrol public places, town squares, centers, streets and around churches to prevent the outbreak of further violence.

Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, said this past Saturday that because Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government did not deploy government troops to the region, the violence has lasted for a week. (CNA)

Thank God. Let's keep the region in our prayers.

Previous reports on this story:

• September 1: Sandro Magister, others, on the growing Hindu violence
• August 29: Pray for Christian victims of Hindu persecution in India

update: not so, says someone very close to the situation...

Your rhetorical question seems to imply that the worst is over for Christians in Orissa. According to my Indian confreres here in Rome (and in Orissa)... Not so! I would suggest the blog "ORISSA BURNING" for continued reports on the situation.

Many of my SVD confreres are reported there or are listed as victims of the violence:

• Fr. Simon Lakra, SVD
• Fr. Edward Sequeira, SVD
• Fr. Babu Joseph, SVD
• Fr. Augustine Kanjamala, SVD
• Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, SVD
• The more than 140 SVD priests and brothers in Orissa would ask that you continue to make public the persecution of Christians and their forced re-conversion to Hinduism.

- Fr. David Streit, SVD, Asst. Secretary General, Rome

I had no intention of dropping the story, and will continue watching and posting.