Christian women molested and water poisoned in Orissa relief camps

The ongoing communal clash against Christians in Orissa has taken new forms, after a Christian body complained of women being sexually assaulted and drinking water being poisoned in relief camps.

According to the Ecumenical Fellowship of India, a series of incidents including Christian women being publicly molested, drinking water being poisoned and disposal of food materials in relief camps have been reported.

Six Christians fell ill after their drinking water was poisoned in the Government Relief Camp at Vijay High School Raikia, Kandhamal on Sept. 3.

"Fortunately, the poisoning of water was detected in time and confirmed by a doctor just before food was served to the Christians taking refuge in the Vijay High School Raikia block," continued the Christian body.

Another attempt in Habaq High school in Kandhamal was foiled by an alert security guard, who noticed Hindutva and VHP extremists climbing the water tank at 9pm to mix a poisonous substance into the water.

It was reported that Hindu extremists objected to Christians "eating at government expense" and on this reason, a group of nearly 2500 extremists barged into the relief camp at Tikabali govt. high school, destroying food supplies meant for the Christian refugees.

In Penagopri village in Tikabali, Kandhamal, about 35 Christian families were driven out. Even as they were taking refuge in the jungle they were lured back to the village by VHP led goons. Once they came back to the village they were held hostage and been given a chance to reconvert to Hinduism or face death.

On September 5, the death anniversary of Mother Teresa, the nuns at the missionaries of Charity has opened three relief camps for the victims of the violence.

The relief camps opened expect to shelter the homeless and provide medical assistance to the sick, old and children among them, a nun said.

The Orissa violence was triggered by the murder on August 23 of Swami Lakhmananda Saraswati, a local figurehead of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), an extremist Hindu organisation. Ignoring a claim of responsibility from the Naxalites for the assassination, the VHP immediately accused Christians.

So far the violence has left over 50 dead, fleeing of at least 50,000 Christians to forests and relief camps and destruction of 300 churches.