Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bhubaneswar (Agenzia Fides) – The tremendous suffering of the displaced Christians in Orissa, victims of anti-Christian violence which occurred in August 2008, continues. As Agenzia Fides learns from the Church in Orissa, the refugees have been attacked twice: first when they were expelled from their villages by the fury of Hindu extremist groups who burned their homes and stole their property, and the second incident: in recent days, as the local government of Orissa - after a long tug - has finally authorized the visit of a delegation representing the European Union (EU) in the well-known Kandhamal district, the site of anti-Christian violence.
The presence of refugees camped out in the streets as best they could, their apparent conditions of marginality and poverty, the absolute lack of any social assistance, the state of abandonment in which they live, would have been obvious signs of the irresponsibility and indifference of the local government in the face of this distressing situation. The civilian officials have decided to "clean up" the area to be visited by the delegation of the EU, arriving on February 4 and 5.
So, about 100 people from 21 poor families of 11 Christian villages - now housed in makeshift tents, where they are struggling to survive – have been forced to rapidly evacuate of the town of Gudaigiri, where they had established themselves in the aftermath of the violence.
The local Church tells Fides: "They are on the brink of despair, unable to return to their villages because they have been wrongfully occupied by Hindu extremists, who continue to threaten them. They suddenly had to leave the refugee camps closed by the government. They have been refused and marginalized in villages or towns where they seek refuge and relief. They continue to suffer harassment, threats, and violence." Now, their presence is unwelcome by the Government of Orissa, which will seek to show the Delegation of the EU only those homes that have been rebuilt, telling how the area of Kandhamal has returned to complete normalcy and harmony.
"The situation is very serious. We wrote a letter to the National Commission for Minorities, to explain this blatant violation of the rights of these refugees, who are Christians and people of India," said John Dayal, head of the All India Christian Council, an ecumenical organization that defends the rights of religious minorities in India, in explaining the situation to Fides. "At the moment there is no news of where the refugees have been transferred. It should be noted that more than half the 5,600 houses that were destroyed or burned in Kandhamal are still yet to be rebuilt. Meanwhile, no one cares about the employment of these people, which would be the first tool for survival with dignity, nor about the education of their children. " (PA) (Agenzia Fides 3/2/2010)
