Orissa govt failed to heal wounds of Kandhamal victims: Archbishop

Stating that two years had elapsed since the riots that claimed at least 38 lives,the Archbishop claimed that besides the nun rape case at K Nuagaon,two other women faced the same brutality during the riots. But,there was no compensation for the other sexually assaulted women,he said.

“At least 35 women were sexually abused during the riots,” said Swarupananda Patra,president of Orissa Minority Forum,who shared the dais with the archbishop at the media conference here.

Claiming a large number of women riot victims had fallen to immoral trafficking as their grievances were not addressed at appropriate time,the archbishop said “a study conducted by a Mumbai based women college showed that many women were subjected to gender violence during the riot.”

Cheenath said,”While the state government is pro-active about compensating industrially displaced people,it exhibits abject behaviour while dealing with the minorities,” and added that this shows Orissa government’s ‘priorities and intent’ with regard to minority welfare.

Terming the amount given for house building as “grossly inadequate”,the archbishop said the amount of compensation was fixed without consulting the victims who lost their lifetime earnings in the riot.

However,church bodies have helped rebuild about 2,500 houses from their limited resources while 3,500 houses remain half-built or unbuilt,he said adding that help was received from different churches across the globe.

Refusing to divulge the amount received from churches in other countries,the archbishop said Orissa government must follow examples of other state governments and ensure proper investigation of all criminal cases so that the guilty were punished.

Alleging about 4,000 people belonging to 20 villages were still unable to return to their houses due to fear,the archbishop demanded adequate protection for the victims and witnesses during trial of cases.

“The state government must reopen all criminal cases and order proper investigation with modern investigative techniques and experts,” he said.

Ridiculing Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s repeated claim that every bone of his body was ‘secular’,the archbishop accused him of being “non-serious” about the victims.

“Every time we meet Naveen Patnaik,he promises to look into the matter. He politely says a judicial commission is set up to give justice to the riot victims. But we do not know what happens after that,” Cheenath said.

Even as Patnaik assured to ensure full protection of Christians in Kandhamal,the “battered and impoverished community now stands vulnerable even as the state government remains in a state of denial,refusing to even acknowledge the crisis much less taking any action,” the Archbishop said.

“Several instances from Tikabali,Daringbadi and Gumamaha are indicators in this regard,” Cheenath alleged adding that 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,Cheenath claimed adding compensation must be given on the nroms follwed by the governments of Gujarat and Delhi.

Cheenath and the Christian community had praised Naveen Patnaik last year after he severed ruling BJD’s ties with the BJP.