Det som er litt spesielt med dette er at det har skjedd i et område der det ikke er vanlig å finne elefanter. Elefantene har vandret en lang vei før de har gått til angrep i dette område hvor ca. 500 kristne ble drept under opptøyene for et år siden.

Ingen kan forklare hvorfor elefantene har reist 300 km til akkurat disse landsbyene. Så langt er 700 hjem ødelagt i 30 landsbyer. Hus der kristne bor er blitt spart.

Her er omtale av handelsene fra ulike kilder:

---

fra Bjørn Olav Hansen

Elefanter angriper kristenforfølgere i Orissa

I 2008 brøt det ut en forferdelig forfølgelse av kristne i Orissa i India. Da bølgene av forfølgelse endelig la seg var mer enn 500 kristne drept på den bestialske måte, og tusener var skadet for livet og deres hjem ødelagt eller totalt nedbrent.

Nylig skjedde det noe underlig i det samme området av India. Store flokker med elefanter har angrepet landsbyene hvor de som forfulgte de kristne er bosatt. I en landsby hvor de kristne i august for et år siden måtte flykte for sine liv og hvor deres hjem ble ødelagt, kom en stor flokk med elefanter ut av jungelen og gikk i retning denne landsbyen. På nøyaktig samme tidspunkt og samme dag som forfølgelsen av de kristne tok til, måtte nå forfølgerne selv flykte fra elefantene. Først angrep de en steinknusermaskin hvis eier var lederen for de som hadde forfulgt de kristne. Denne ble fullstedig ødelagt. Så dro elefantene til denne mannens hus og bondegård, og ødela alle bygningene der. Etter at elefantene var ferdig med dette gikk de fra hus til hus og ødela hjemmene til alle de som hadde deltatt i forfølgelsen av de kristne. Kun de kristnes hus som var blitt gjenoppbygget fikk stå i fred! Elefantene har ødelagt mer enn 700 hus i 30 landsbyer!

Ingen har noensinne sett noe lignende i dette området. Det er som om de hevner martyrenes blod. En frykt for Gud har spredt seg i befolkningen. Lokalbefolkningen kaller nå disse elefantene for "kristne elefanter!"

---

Fra misjonsorganisasjon Asia Harvest

[Red. anm. - Jeg kjenner lederen for Asia Harvest som en dyktig forsker som skjekker sine kilder.]

---

Fra Colombo bispedømme i Sri Lanka

ELEPHANTS ATTACK IN ORISSA EXACTLY AFTER ONE YEAR OF PERSECUTIONS
[ Fr. Sunil De Silva - 09.12.2009 ]

In July 2008 a severe persecution of Christians broke out in the Indian state of Orissa. A 22 year old nun was burnt to death when angry mobs burnt down an orphanage in Khuntpali village in Barhgarh district, another nun was gang raped in Kandhamal, mobs attacked churches, torched vehicles, houses of Christians destroyed, and Fr. Thomas Chellen, director of the pastoral center that was destroyed with a bomb, had a narrow escape after a Hindu mob nearly set him on fire.  The end result saw more than 500 Christians murdered, and thousands of others injured and homeless after their houses were reduced to ashes.  Recently a strange and dramatic event took place in Orissa, which has many people talking and wondering.

In recent months, herds of wild elephants have begun to storm villages that are home to some of the worst persecutors of Christians during the troubles.  In one village, where in August a year ago the Christians had to run for their lives while their homes were being destroyed by rioters, a herd of elephants emerged from the surrounding jungle exactly one year later, in July 2009, at the same time of the day of the attack.

These elephants first attacked a rock crusher machine owned by a key leader of the persecution movement.  They then went on to destroy his house and farms.

Hundreds of villagers have been forced to take shelter in camps in the Indian state of Orissa after repeated attacks by a herd of elephants.

Seven people have been killed and several others injured in attacks by a herd of 12-13 elephants over the past few weeks in Kandhamal district.

Over 2,500 people living in 45 villages have been affected by the attacks, district chief Krishen Kumar said.

It is, however, unclear why this herd of elephants migrated from the Lakheri sanctuary in a neighbouring district. He said the herd had travelled some 300km into Kandhamal, and even entered a town in the district. Wildlife officials were camping at the site of the attacks and trying to find out why the elephants had come out of their sanctuary. The villagers say elephants attack their areas in herds, causing heavy destruction.

Gaining momentum, they rampaged through other non-Christian homes, demolishing gardens and singling out the home of persecutors, leaving Christian homes untouched.
 
These strange attacks have spread, and according to a report, the elephants have already destroyed more than 700 houses in 30 villages, and killed five people.  Nobody in this area has seen or even imagined the unique appearance of a herd of wild elephants such as this. The elephants are not ordinary elephants; they appear to be on a mission.

Typically, smaller elephants enter a village first, appearing to survey the community.  They then rejoin the larger herd, and larger elephant soon follow and get the job done.
 
The ministry partner in India stated “We think that it might have something to do with the avenging the blood of martyrs.  In fact the fear of God has fallen on the local people, who have labeled these elephants “Christian elephants.”

With little help coming from the administration, the villagers have taken to road blockades. "The elephants have destroyed crops and selected houses. But officials too express helplessness. "There is no permanent habitat of elephants in Sundargarh. They come from Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where their habitats have shrunk. But is not clear how and why these elephants reached Orissa.