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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I think this will be on snopes soon...sounds really
fishy to me. Nuns do not do this and neither does any other NGO. Someone should
really get the story.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=deco@moscow.com href="mailto:deco@moscow.com">Art Deco</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">Vision 2020</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, January 17, 2005 1:16
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] Reprise on Initial
Tsunami Aid Comment</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/?action=fullnews&id=60729">http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/?action=fullnews&id=60729</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000><FONT face=Arial><STRONG>Villagers furious with
Christian Missionaries:</STRONG> </FONT></FONT>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 <font>[India News]:
Samanthapettai, Jan 16 : Rage and fury has gripped this tsunami-hit tiny Hindu
village in India's southern Tamil Nadu after a group of Christian missionaries
allegedly refused them aid for not agreeing to follow their religion.
<BR><BR>Samanthapettai, near the temple town of Madurai, faced near
devastation on the December 26 when massive tidal waves wiped it clean of
homes and lives. <BR><BR>Most of the 200 people here are homeless or displaced
, battling to rebuild lives and locating lost family members besides facing
risks of epidemic,disease and trauma. <BR><BR>Jubilant at seeing the relief
trucks loaded with food, clothes and the much-needed medicines the villagers,
many of who have not had a square meal in days, were shocked when the nuns
asked them to convert before distributing biscuits and water. <BR><BR>Heated
arguments broke out as the locals forcibly tried to stop the relief trucks
from leaving. The missionaries, who rushed into their cars on seeing
television reporters and the cameras refusing to comment on the incident and
managed to leave the village. <BR><BR>Disappointed and shocked into disbelief
the hapless villagers still await aid. <BR><BR>"Many NGOs (volunteer groups)
are extending help to us but there in our village the NGO, which was till now
helping us is now asking us to follow the Christian religion. We are staunch
followers of Hindu religion and refused their request. And after that these
people with their aid materials are leaving the village without distributing
that to us," Rajni Kumar, a villager said. <BR><BR>The incident is an
exception to concerted charity in a catastrophe that has left no one
untouched.(ANI) </FONT></P></FONT></DIV>
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