Criminal cases on Kandhamal must be reopened, demands Archbishop Cheenath

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.

The Orissa Government, without consulting the victims, arbitrarily fixed such amounts which ensured that all the houses stay half constructed with walls, but with no roofs. Church bodies have helped rebuilt about 2,500 houses from their limited resources, but 3,500 houses remain half-built or un-built. The State cannot abdicate its responsibility in building all houses fully. Even the so called half-destroyed houses have to be razed to the ground and rebuilt to ensure safety for the residents. Everywhere else in the country state governments have come forward to build houses of minority communities destroyed in similar violence.

The Orissa Christian community urged the State Government to adopt at the very minimum the Gujarat and New Delhi compensation packages and enhance the puny compensation already announced. In addition, victims of sexual assault must be included as a ground eligible for compensation and employment.

The State Government must provide enhanced compensation ranging from Rs.5 lakhs to Rs.20 lakhs depending on the damage for rebuilding of damaged Churches, religious, public institutions and NGOs to include the furniture and other fixtures that were destroyed with the buildings in the violence.

About 12,500 people have been resettled in their rebuilt houses. About 17,500 people are still displaced and have a right to be resettled by the State Government. Adequate measures and enabling environment should be created.

About 146 shops owned by minorities which enabled them to be financially independent and was the source of their livelihood were totally destroyed, pushing them to penury. The Government should announce a compensation of Rs 2 to 5 lakhs depending on the extent of damage so that they are properly rehabilitated. Similarly the state government must compensate for the household things looted and destroyed during the violence.

The state government must give compensation for those who have been killed and those who are injured in the violence.

Confidence-building and peace-building initiatives by the state and district administration should have the participation of members of the affected community, particularly women.

The State Government has been requested for providing land for building a Church near Salia Sahi village, Bhubaneswar where more than 3000 violence affected displaced Christian people of Kandhamal have taken shelter. The State Government must allot this land for Church purposes immediately as the religious practices of these people are being affected, said Swarupananda Patra, President of Orissa Minority Forum.

He added that from past experience of violence and deaths, we request the State Government to provide adequate security and protection to Christian lives, property, Churches and religious institutions in Kandhamal and ensure that the people are able to celebrate Christmas 2010 without fear. For this adequate measures need to be undertaken by the State Government from today.