Houses un-built, thousands yet to return home in Kandhamal: John Dayal

Most of the over 5,000 houses destroyed in the December 2007 and August 24-October 2008 mayhem remain un-built, and several thousand of the 50,000 Christian refugees are still to return home, says John Dayal, general secretary of the All India Christian Council (aicc).

Dayal, who visited the riot-hit district on a fact-finding mission, rued that Church was shattered, deeply wounded and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the violence.

Many of the refugees, he said, cannot return home due to the threats and coercion to convert to Hinduism that continue till today.

He noted that although there has been much work by religious groups in distributing Holy Bibles and clothes, and in counseling victims, there has not been commensurate work in enhancing the sense of security.

"The result is that complainants and witnesses to violence feel very insecure and are susceptible to coercion, blackmail and perhaps allurement," he said. "Not much progress has been made in getting convictions especially in the murder cases involving BJP political leaders."

Dayal continued that Church was focused more on helping complete houses instead of using the law to let government complete the houses. "As a result, though the Catholic Church says it will help complete 1200 houses, Believers Church 900 Houses, Eficor about 300 houses, and CNI a similar number, another 2,500 houses remain without help."

The Christian leader also lamented that post-violence, civil society and peace institutions are yet to be revived. "A belated effort is now being made to revive civil society and the process of justice and reconciliation towards a lasting peace in Kandhamal, which remains the worst single case of persecution of Christians in South Asia," he observed.

Priests, pastors, catholic religious, NGO workers, catechists and others are to meet today, Dec. 7, for a full day discussion cum workshop to cogitate the issue and to encourage the religious groups to begin grassroots work.