The Orissa State Government must reopen all criminal cases related to Kandhamal district violence and order proper investigation with modern investigative techniques and expert personnel, the Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar demanded.
“State must provide adequate protection to Kandhamal violence 2008 victims and witnesses before, during and after the trials in the Fast Track Courts,” said Archbishop Raphael Cheenath while addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar on August 30.
He said, “The Orissa government must follow the example of other state governments and ensure foolproof investigation of all criminal cases so that the guilty are punished for their heinous crime and are not let of for want of adequate evidence because of shoddy investigations and forensic expertise.”
From August to October, 2008, the Christian community in Kandhamal and other districts of Orissa was ravaged by anti-Christian violence which ripped the trust and faith of the minorities on the Government of Orissa.
However, the said community patiently hoped that the State Government would undo the wrongs by justice and rehabilitation of the victims through adequate compensation, relief and employment. But even after two years, the Orissa Government has failed to “wipe the tears” and “heal the wounds” of the Christian community in Kandhamal.
On the other hand, reports of incidences of human trafficking and gender violence, documented by reputed organisations, have shocked civil society in the State and the country. The battered and impoverished Christian community now stands vulnerable even as the Orissa Government remains in a state of denial, refusing to even acknowledge the crisis much less taking any action.
Several instances from Tikabali, Daringabadi, Gumamaha are indicators in this regard. Displacement induced migration has intensified even after two years of the violence. Faced with hostility in their villages, fear for their lives and family, people are fleeing Kandhamal even today. Shops which were destroyed in the December 2007 Kandhamal violence and had been painstakingly restored were once again torched and looted in the 2008 violence. Stocks worth lakhs of Rupees were lost, but instead of adequate compensation, the Orissa Government flung a miserly amount of Rs.15,000 and exposed their indifference.
While the Orissa Government is proactive about compensating industrially displaced people, the same Government exhibits abject behaviour while dealing with the minorities. Probably this also points to the Orissa Government’s priorities and intentions with regard to minority welfare. The compensation of Rs.50,000 for “fully damaged” and Rs. 20,000 for so-called “partially damaged” houses is grossly inadequate considering the market rates of construction.
Church
Criminal cases on Kandhamal must be reopened, demands Archbishop Cheenath
By: Santosh Digal
Wednesday, 1 September 2010, 10:12 (IST)
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Added: Friday, 3 September 2010, 18:15 (IST)
It is true right justice has not available to the people made violence and riots in Kandhamal of Odisa India either by Center or by the state.The 80 years 0ld saint leader of the area Laxman anand Saraswati was killed by Nexalist. The real culprit and killers are not found.
Ramesh Nayak, Mississauga Canada
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