CHRISTMAS FOR ORISSA CAMPAIGN
PRAY FOR PEACE, FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, SAVE CHRISTMAS IN ORISSASend a greeting card to the people in power, urging them to act in favour of peace and justice!!!
Orissa Concerns
All you need to do:
1. Forward this mail, putting all email addresses of authorities (pl see appended).
2. Delete the portions which are above and below the dotted lines.
3. Add a line or two of your own message, if you like.
4. Send it.
5. Forward this appeal to your friends.
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Dear Friends,
The Christmas of 2008, traditionally an occasion for joy and hope, threatens to be a dark and fearful day for the people of Orissa.
While the bandh on Christmas Day has been called off by the VHP, the lack of any substantive serious change in the condition of those living in refugee camps and the constant sense of fear of further violence around Christmas remains to be a cause of concern. It was on Christmas Day last year that the attacks, organised by the VHP, Bajrang Dal, RSS and other Hindutva extremist groups, were launched.
In renewed violence since late August this year over 60 people have been killed, several women including nuns raped, over 4,400 houses and 151 churches destroyed and more than 18,000 people injured. Even as we write this there are over 50,000 people homeless and living in the most atrocious conditions unable to return to their homes due to fear and lack of state protection.
We sincerely appeal to people of all religions in Orissa, the rest of India and indeed all over the world to join the Christmas for Orissa Campaign to:
· Defeat the politics of hate indulged in by extremist organisations;
· Prevent the recurrence of further violence in the state;
· Preserve the spirit of Christmas; and
· Prevail upon the Indian and Orissa governments to protect the lives and livelihood of innocent citizens.
This Christmas for Orissa Campaign is part of already ongoing efforts in Orissa and elsewhere with similar objectives. In an effort to make Peace and Justice in Orissa the theme of this year's Christmas all over the world, send this Christmas/New Year greeting card (attached) to Indian government officials and VHP/RSS/BJP leaders. Below are some people you could mail Christmas greetings to:
Chief Minister (Orissa), Chair - National Human Rights Commission, Chief Justice (High Court) - Dr. Balbir Singh Chauhan, Chief Justice (Supreme Court), Prime Minister - Manmohan Singh, President - Pratibha Patil, L.K. Advani (BJP) - Leader of the Opposition, President (Bharatiya Janata Party) - Rajnath Singh,Vishwa Hindu Parishad (New Delhi)
You can cut/paste the email addresses as below to send the greeting -
cmo@ori.nic.in, covdnhrc@nic.in, highcour@ori.nic.in, supremecourt@nic.in, manmohan@sansad.nic.in, presidentofindia@rb.nic.in, advanilk@sansad.nic.in, bjpco@bjp.org, jaishriram@vsnl.in
Do spread the word.
For updates on Orissa you can visit http://blog.
All those interested in joining or contributing to the campaign are requested to contact:
christmasfororissa@gmail.com 
