Re: National Forum | Appeal to release the Collector Malkangiri from Maoists
i wonder if collector krishna kumar, who escorted the body of lakshmananda saraswati along its long route, and was an eye witness himself to all the violence, would allow any of his underlings to exercise their minds independently. still, i pray for the safe return of the young officer. john dayal new delhi ' On 19 February 2011 18:52, Hari Rout wrote: > > > It is shocked all of us, those who are working for the pro people and > The Respected Collector Mr. R. Vinal Krishna is one of few bureaucrat in > this recent time. I have closed work with him during his tenure as Sub > Collector, Balliguda to bring peace and normalcy after Kandhamal Communal > Riot in the year 2008 and his committement toward the tribal development and > succussful implementation of Forest Right Act. > > At this time we all apple to the Maoist Brothers to realse him as soon as > on humanitarian point of view and to respect the fillings of the people of > Orissa. > > Hari Sankar > Social Activist. > Kandhamal, Odisha > > --- On *Fri, 18/2/11, Subash * wrote: > > > From: Subash > Subject: Re: National Forum | Appeal to release the Collector Malkangiri > from Maoists > To: national-forum-of-india@yahoogroups.co.in > Date: Friday, 18 February, 2011, 12:44 PM > > > I am shicked to hear this news.It seems that state as well central > government do not provide security to even collectors.I ask from both Govt > what steps they have taken for release of thr collector.Also that further > such thing may not may be ensured. > Subas > > --- In > national-forum-of-india@yahoogroups.co.in<http://in.mc954.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=national-forum-of-india%40yahoogroups.co.in>, > Manoj Padhi wrote: > > > > I urge PM to send Army or special forces to hunt down the maoists > > mercilessly so that ther will be none to do such kind of wicked > mischiefs. > > > > If required help may be sought from Israel, Russians or US. > > > > Also, I don't want to see a see a single 'release Binayak Sen' or 'state > > terror' e-mail in this forum because I am afraid, I may become bald by > > pulling my own hair out of anger.. > > > > Such appeals make me sick.., as these people are trying to pretend t > Maoists > > are some ind hearted good men; if they were so good, they wouldn't be > > involved in kidnapping Government officials.. > > > > Please grow up and write to PM for Army and Airforce interventation in > stead > > of praying god and Maoists.. > > > > Thanks > > Manoj Padhi > > > > On Thu, Feb 17, 2011 at 7:19 AM, chittaranjan sarangi > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Collector Malkangiri Sri R. Venil Krishna is a noble officer. He loves > > > people and always tried to become nearer to them. He attended much of > our > > > programmes and inspired us a lot.We prey god to keep him and the junior > > > Engineer Malkangiri safe and give them moral strength to face such > > > situation. Government should be proactive and should take prompt steps > for > > > negotiation to release both the Officers. He recognized us as > traditional > > > healers(Vaidyas)and trained us under NRHM. He motivatd us to reach the > > > facilities of NRHM to the people of remote areas. We are engaged in > this > > > work.This time his kidnapping is a shock to us.We condemn such inhuman > > > activity of the kidnappers and appeal them through you to free our > Collector > > > and engineer without any violence and cooperate in the development > process > > > which present Collector has started. > > > We have his phatoes & vedio recordings, if you want you can share those > > > with you. > > > Thanks OTV for highlighting the issue. > > > With best wishes > > > Vaidya Sangha > > > Malkangiri > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --
Re: National Forum | Judicial Panel: Evangelists created tension in Karnataka: Judicial panel
Not just Muslims, Purohit team went after Christians too even in Kandhamal, says Army report Not just Muslims, Lt Colonel Prasad Srikant Purohit and his Abhinav Bharat also targeted Christians in several locations including Kandhamal in Orissa, North Karnataka, Pune, Jabalpur and Bhopal. And that Malegaon blast accused and Purohit’s key aide Sameer Kulkarni was allegedly behind the killing of two Christians in Orissa in August 2008. This revelation comes in the Military Intelligence (MI) report of the Army based on the interrogation of Purohit, himself one of the prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast and a key link in the Hindu extremist network. The report, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, said that Malegaon blast co-accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh confronted Purohit during his joint interrogation by MI, the Maharashtra ATS and the Intelligence Bureau at a safe house in Khandala on October 30, 2008. “She mentioned that the Army officer had met her on October 5, 2008, and confessed to have orchestrated the Malegoan blast, killing of two persons in Orissa in August 2008 and arson in North Karnataka. The officer admitted to having made such statements to Sadhvi Pragya but attributed these outbursts to his boasting about the Malegaon incident. But, later, during the same confrontation he admitted that this outfit had killed two persons in Orissa through Sameer Kulkarni, a full-time activist of Abhinav Bharat,” the MI report stated. Sameer Kulkarni was called Chanakya by Purohit, a generic name given to those part of the military wing of Abhinav Bharat. “Responsible for covert operations, the RSS activist was instrumental in breaking influential RSS and VHP workers towards Abhinav Bharat. He is known to be associated with the core group who had undertaken the IED blast in Ajmer in 2007. In March 2008, he accompanied Ramji Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange to Purohit’s residence in Panchmarhi. Police records confirmed his involvement in anti-Christian riots in Pune, Jabalpur and Bhopal. Lt Col Purohit admitted that on behalf of Abhinav Bharat, Sameer killed two Christians in Orissa in August 2008. This act indicated that Lt Col Purohit wanted to establish an organisation with aggressive anti-Christian stance,” the MI report said. That Abhinav Bharat had become the hub of ultra right Hindu forces is evident from the fact that extremist organisations like Sreeram Sena and Hindustan Rashtriya Sena wanted Purohit’s organisation to merge with their outfits. “During December 22, 2007-January 2, 2008, Lt Col Purohit participated in a meeting called by Swami Aseemanand at Anil Mahajan’s house in Pune. The meeting was attended by Vilas Pawar of Sreeram Sena, Karnataka, Pramod Muttalik of Hindustan Rashtriya Sena, Bharat Rateshwar aka Bharat Bhai of Gujarat, Dr Seetharamaiah of Andhra Pradesh, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Ajay Rahirkar. During the meeting, Swami Aseemanand made an attempt to merge Abhinav Bharat with existing organisations but consensus could not be reached,” the report stated. On 29 January 2011 13:05, sri venkat wrote: > Evangelists created tension in Karnataka: Judicial panel > > > http://www.dailypioneer.com/313953/Evangelists-created-tension-in-Karnataka-Judicial-panel.html > > Saturday, January 29, 2011 Kestur Vasuki | Bangalore > > ‘BJP had no role in church attacks’ > > The one-man judicial commission that probed the 2008 attacks on > churches in Karnataka has given a clean chit to the BS Yeddyurappa > Government and Sangh Parivar. > > It felt that circulation of derogatory literature with “insulting > attitude” against Hindus and issues of conversion by a few > organisations and “self-styled pastors” were provocations behind the > attacks. > > The panel gave the clean chit to Roman Catholic churches too, saying > they did not engage in any conversion activity. > > Absolving the State Government and police of any role, the Justice BK > Somasekara Commission said, “There is no basis for the apprehension of > Christian petitioners that BJP, Sangh Parivar and the State > Government, directly or indirectly, were involved in the attacks.” > > “The attacks were done by misguided fundamentalists of defined or > undefined groups or organisations against Christians and Christianity. > The attackers mistakenly presumed that they would be protected by the > party in power,” the report added. > > Disagreeing with the findings of the report, Bangalore vicar general > Archdiocese S Jagayanathan said the probe report had not done justice > to the minority community by not naming the culprits. > > “The commission has let down the Christian community. The entire > Christian community is disappointed and feel the report is unfair,” > the vicar general said. The clean chit to the ruling BJP comes at the > time when the Chief Minister is battling with corruption and nepotism > charges. > > In a significant reference, the commission in its highlights states > that there were clear indications of con
National Forum | Re: Kandhamal : The Real Challenges by RL Francis
The Second Rape The first rape, of a nun, was in communally charged Kandhamal in 2008. Now, a tense trial recreates the horror. ROHINI MOHAN reports Media glare Advocate Soura Chandra Mahapatra (centre) defends the rape accused to the Odiya media outside the Cuttack District Sessions Court on 23 September AT THE car door, Latika Devi checks her bag one last time: a spare salwar kameez, towel, toothbrush, and a limp blue file with yellowing paper. She breathes in deeply. Hugs the bag to her chest. “Ready?” asks her lawyer Dibakar Parichha, from the back of the car. “Do I have a choice?” she says and gets in. For most of the 45-minute drive from Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar to its old nerve-centre Cuttack, Latika studies the photocopied papers on her lap. The words are her own, dictated to a scribbling policeman 10 days after the incident of 25 August 2008. Two years down, she must narrate the incident as if she saw it yesterday. “I am a resident of Nuagaon village, Kandhamal district,” she begins in Odiya, with her eyes closed. “I knew the nun and the priest who worked in our village. I recognise all the accused standing in front of me; they are also from my village. I run a shop opposite the Janvikas Kendra, in whose verandah the incident took place. (“At 1 pm on 25 August 2008,” prompts Dibakar) A mob of 40-50 men, including the said accused, took the nun inside the Janvikas Kendra. When they brought her out, her blouse and sari were torn...” Latika is one of the 33 witnesses to depose in the Cuttack district sessions court, where nine men are being tried for the alleged rape of a 29-year-old nun. The incident occurred during the anti-Christian riots in August 2008 that killed 38 people and displaced more than 22,000. News of the rape made international headlines. Pope Benedict condemned it. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called it “Orissa’s shame”. BJP leader LK Advani denounced it as a “shameful crime against humanity”. The nun’s lawyers try to restrict the case to the act of rape. But it becomes, invariably, about Kandhamal For Latika, however, this is a case deeply rooted in her hometown. The victim, the 23 arrested, the nine accused in the current phase of trials, the 33 witnesses and even some of the lawyers are from Kandhamal. “It is international news, but I see the effect right outside my window,” says Latika. Precisely because of this, in March this year, the high court transferred the trial out of Kandhamal to a Cuttack court. All other 831 riot cases are being heard in a fast- track court in Phulbani, Kandhamal. For two months after August 2008, the details of the rape were figments of media imagination, allegations by Hindu and Christian groups and apathetic politicians. In October 2008, the nun, her face veiled in a black-and-red dupatta, held a press meet in Delhi. “I was raped and now I don't want to be victimised again by the Orissa Police,” she said, asking for a CBI probe. The sequence of events the nun described on that day became the dominant narrative of the crime. Until the trial began. In the Cuttack court, 22 witnesses gave testimonies in in-camera sessions with judge BK Misra. Seven turned hostile; they denied having seen rape or assault or refused to recognise the accused. The other 15 witnesses — neighbours, policemen and administrators — said the rape had taken place between 1 and 1.30 pm in front of a police outpost with 12 policemen watching. A priest, Father Thomas Chellan, who was with the nun, was seen being beaten and paraded shirtless on the street. But during the cross-examination, most witnesses were cornered into saying that while they saw the nun and Father Chellan being paraded half-nude, no one had actually seen the rape. “This is the difficulty in most rape cases,” says Akshaya Kumar Nayak, assistant to the Special Public Prosecutor. “The victim is often the only eyewitness.” Veiled plea At a press conference in Delhi in October 2008, the nun (left) alleges gangrape and harassment by the Odisha Police A CRIMINAL LAWYER for 28 years, Nayak says, “Cross examinations are meant to rattle even the truthful.” When Father Chellan testified as the key witness, the defence lawyer said he had not mentioned ‘rape’ in his FIR. His reply in court reads thus: “It is a fact that there is no mention in my FIR of any allegations of rape on (the nun)” because this second FIR alleged assault (on Chellan) and was not about the rape at all. Local and national news reports carried this exchange in one line: “Father Chellan says nun was not raped.” Appointed by the state, Nayak has been struggling with nine other lawyers to keep the nature of the case criminal. “It keeps boiling down to why the rape happened,” says Nayak. It becomes, invariably, about Kandhamal. About the murder of VHP leader Swami Lakshmananda on 23 August 2008, that incited mobs to lash out against Christians. About the saffronised caste conflict between Kandha and Panos tribes when the latter conver
Re: National Forum | The Truth Behind The Silence
Dear Sai What do you mean by that obnioxious phrase "conversion activities"? thanks, John Dayal On 16 September 2010 12:58, janatavikas manch wrote: > > > *Dear Friends, > > Kandhamal violence is a phenomena. The tensions are likely to be witnessed > in the other parts of the country like Behriach in UP, coastal Andhra > Pradesh and other parts due to the growing resistence of Hindu organisations > over the conversion activities. > > Kerala chief minister is having sleepless nights in controlling religious > fanatics in the state. It is time to be vigilant and chalk out ways to meet > the emerging challenges of Communalism through the country. > > . > > Thanks & Regards, > > Sai Prasan > > Janta Vikas Manch > > *=== > > > The Truth Behind The Silence > > > ** > > * > * > > Church is continuously raising its voice demanding the rehabilitation of > the victimized Dalit Christian in Kandhamal violence in the state of Orissa. > But, it is silent on Prof TJ Joseph case to appease militant Muslim groups > in Kerala. The Church leadership is making an attempt to align with Muslim > groups within and outside Kerala against Sangh Parivar to push its agenda of > conversion of both poor Hindu dalits and tribals. > > It is interesting to note that Bishop of Catholic diocese in Ernakulum > district of Kerala George Punnakottil has completely turned deaf ears to the > demands of restoring job of Professor T J Joseph. Professor T J Joseph was > employed by Newman College being run by diocese. Considering resentment in > the larger section of minorities Professor Joseph has been suspended for one > year. Leftist government of Kerala had registered case under section 275 > accusing him of spreading communal disharmony. He was sent to jail and > subsequently released on the bail. > > On 4th July while returning from Muvatatupujha church, the activists of > Popular Front of India (PFI), a Muslim hardline organization, had cut his > right hand from the body. This happened because he had used word ‘Mohammad’ > in a B.Com question paper in an indecent manner. Fanatics had accused him of > blasphemy and punished him in their way. Church was shocked and due to fear > it did not speak a single line against this act. However, same church has > always been vocal against Hindu extremist organisations. The church that had > ran an agitation against Love Jihad is biting dust on this issue. > > As per V S Achutanandan, who is currently CM of the state, Kerala is fast > becoming a hub of extremism. Muslim fanatics wants to establish a Muslim > state in next 20 years. Youths are being offered money for conversion and > some of the Jihadi organisations have encouraged Muslim youths to marry > Non-Muslim girls. The entire cost is borne by Jihadi organisations. > > Kerala church has accused that a large section of Christian girls have been > targeted of this Love Jihad. These girls after marriage are being sent to > gulf countries. Both Muslims and Christians are competing with each-other in > the race of growing their population in the state. Few years back, some of > the Catholic dioceses had issued an appeal to people of the state to give > birth to more and more children and had given assurance that church will > bear the entire cost of running a family. > > For the last few decades, the state is patronising extremism of Muslims and > Christians. Hindus are being divided in many ways and government has helped > in this process. There has been violent struggle between RSS and people > associated with them. Population of Hindus is dwindling due to fear. They > have more population than Muslims and Christians but since they are not > vote-banks so their reach and say in government is limited. Muslims and > Christians have more impact on Kerala politics as they are united. > > From the statement of Achutanandan, it is evident that even leftist are > aware of impending danger. Those who had cut hand of Professor Joseph have > told that Taliban style courts are being run in the state and where > decisions are taken only on the basis of Shariyat. The decision to disjoint > the hand was taken by one such court. > > As per intelligence reports *Popular Front of India* is new face of *National > Democratic Front.* PFI is being seen as suspected organization of the > militant Muslims since its establishment. Home Ministry had sent letters to > the state home departments and respective Director Generals of Police to > keep an eye on the activities. > > Independent writer and experts on Muslim issues Mujaffar Hussain says that > Popular Front of India is trying to increase Muslim population in entire > Kerala as is
Re: National Forum | Re: Kandhamal Interim Report
dear manoj what is the rate of growth of kondh hindus in kandhamal what is the rateof growth of oriyas from coastal orissa in kadhamal? what does the kandhamal police site have to say about the guilty for communal tension in kandhamal in the last 40 years? gopd bless you john dayal On Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 1:29 PM, Manoj Padhi wrote: > > > For readers: > > The National average of Christians: 2% > In Kandhamal : 25% > > So, those who are passionate for a Hindu Rashtra, this is a threat. > > There may be other local issues but, killing of Senior VHP leader Swami * > Laxmanananda* Saraswati exceeded the tolerance threshold of Hindutva > warriors, just like the burning of 50+ karsevaks did. > > Constitution permits many stuff to minorities, but at the end of the day, > Constitution can't protect minorities from mob fury, in any country; good > relationship with majority community is in the interest of minorities. > > I tried but Dr. John Dayal - the believer of absolute protection of > constitution would not bother about the possibility of riots. > > > All I can say that - those who wish to axe their own foot (community) , who > can save them ? > > Thanks > Manoj Padhi >
Re: National Forum | Re: Kandhamal Interim Report
Dear Sai we await your analysis. Meanwhile, Kindly release the full interim report of the national People's tribunal on the forum so that readers can read it. Thank you and God bless On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 10:21 AM, sai prasan wrote: > Dear Sir, > > Thanks for your your feed back. > > I am writing a detailed analysis on the tribunal and a public meeting on > Aug 25th at Jantar Mantar which will be released next week. > > Regards, > > Sai Prasan > > > On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 10:15 AM, John Dayal wrote: > >> Dear Sai >> >> Pleasde give the full report of the Tribunal on your forum, and then give >> your point of view. Othewise readers willd raw thconclusion that you are on >> just one side of the situation. >> >> Thank you >> >> John Dayal >> >> >> >> On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 9:13 PM, Prabir Chatterjee wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> It seems that any group who uses muscle power, sexual attacks and >>> kills is certainly in the wrong. Any forcible acquisition of land or false >>> caste certificates are also crimes and should be countered in a court of law >>> and through the press and elections. I doubt that the Ramkrishna Mission and >>> NGOs have any problem working together in any state in India. However land >>> mafia, job racketeers and goondas who pretend to be religious should not be >>> encouraged in any way. >>> Prabir >>> >>> >>> >>> *Dear all,* >>> ** >>> *The National Solidarity Forum (NSF), the organisers of National >>> People's Tribunal (NPT) on Kandhamal held in New Delhi on 22-24, 2010, have >>> sent the below report. * >>> ** >>> *In the Press Conference held on 24th afternoon, the attention of the >>> chairman of the Jury Justice AP Shah, former chief justice of Delhi HIgh >>> Court was told that the report is silent on two important issues - land and >>> fake certificates - which were responsible for the violence in Kandhamal. >>> * >>> ** >>> *Justice Shah's attention was also drawn that SCs and STs are caught in >>> the cross-fire between Christian and Hindu organisations. And, the >>> Preliminary findings also did not suggest how to bring these two opposite >>> groups - Christian and Hindu organisations - closer to work for the overall >>> development of SCs and STs since Christian organisations enjoy money power >>> and Hindu organisations possess muscle power in terms of people.* >>> ** >>> *A volley of questions were pressed on how to tackle the conversion and >>> re-conversion activities carried by Christian and Hindu organisations which >>> were also another important reason responsible for the violence in >>> Kandhamal.* >>> ** >>> *Going by the views of the participants from Kandhamal, the violence can >>> erupt again in Kandhamal as the important issues still remain unresolved. >>> * >>> ** >>> *Please read the below report and send your suggestions and comments.* >>> ** >>> *Thanks & Regards,* >>> ** >>> *Sai Prasan* >>> * >>> * >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> John Dayal >>
Re: National Forum | Re: Kandhamal Interim Report
Dear Sai Pleasde give the full report of the Tribunal on your forum, and then give your point of view. Othewise readers willd raw thconclusion that you are on just one side of the situation. Thank you John Dayal On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 9:13 PM, Prabir Chatterjee wrote: > > > It seems that any group who uses muscle power, sexual attacks and kills > is certainly in the wrong. Any forcible acquisition of land or false caste > certificates are also crimes and should be countered in a court of law and > through the press and elections. I doubt that the Ramkrishna Mission and > NGOs have any problem working together in any state in India. However land > mafia, job racketeers and goondas who pretend to be religious should not be > encouraged in any way. > Prabir > > > > *Dear all,* > ** > *The National Solidarity Forum (NSF), the organisers of National People's > Tribunal (NPT) on Kandhamal held in New Delhi on 22-24, 2010, have sent the > below report. * > ** > *In the Press Conference held on 24th afternoon, the attention of the > chairman of the Jury Justice AP Shah, former chief justice of Delhi HIgh > Court was told that the report is silent on two important issues - land and > fake certificates - which were responsible for the violence in Kandhamal. > * > ** > *Justice Shah's attention was also drawn that SCs and STs are caught in > the cross-fire between Christian and Hindu organisations. And, the > Preliminary findings also did not suggest how to bring these two opposite > groups - Christian and Hindu organisations - closer to work for the overall > development of SCs and STs since Christian organisations enjoy money power > and Hindu organisations possess muscle power in terms of people.* > ** > *A volley of questions were pressed on how to tackle the conversion and > re-conversion activities carried by Christian and Hindu organisations which > were also another important reason responsible for the violence in > Kandhamal.* > ** > *Going by the views of the participants from Kandhamal, the violence can > erupt again in Kandhamal as the important issues still remain unresolved. > * > ** > *Please read the below report and send your suggestions and comments.* > ** > *Thanks & Regards,* > ** > *Sai Prasan* > * > * > > > -- John Dayal
Re: National Forum - Disturbing activities by Vedanta to win favours of Govt. Officials.
The less aid about collectors in several districts of Orissa, Kalahandi and Kandhamal among them, the better there should be a full scale enquiry, and officers should be transferred before the enquiry begins John Dayal New Delhi On 13 March 2010 20:34, Prasanta Patnaik wrote: > > > *Dear Friends, * > > *Please go through the following news report published in Kalinga Times > news portal.* > ** > *One research scholar from Norway who visited Niyamgiri and areas around > Vedanta informed me that though a number of roads and other developmental > works have been executed by the State Govt. using the State and Central > Govt. funds, Veanta has claimed through boards that they have > built/constructed it.* > ** > *I wonder how the Collector Kalahandi and the BDO Viswanathpur allowed a > private and controversial business house to build two rooms in BDO's office > for comfort of the Collector during his tour. Should the State Govt. > encourage such unhealthy practices and allow the Govt. officers to avail > such facilities and to favour them at the cost of the State and the people ? > * > ** > *I feel the State Govt. should take disciplinary action against the > officers who are bluntly availing facilities from the corporate houses and > granting them undue favours.* > ** > *Thanks,* > *Prasanta Patnaik,* > *Journalist, > Bhubaneswar.* > > > > > http://kalingatimes.com/odisha_news/news2010/20100313_Vedanta_builds_resting_place_for_Kalahandi_DC.htm > # > *Vedanta builds resting place for Kalahandi > DC*<http://kalingatimes.com/odisha_news/news2010/20100313_Vedanta_builds_resting_place_for_Kalahandi_DC.htm#> > KalingaTimes Correspondent > Bhubaneswar, March 13: Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) has added two rooms > to the Block Development Officer's office at Viswanathpur in Kalahandi > district, according to the report submitted by Usha Ramanathan from Centre > for Study on Developing Society. > > Ramanathan, who visited Kalahandi as a Member of the three-member Committee > from the Centre in January this year, has said in her report to the Union > Ministry of Environment and Forests that VAL had also furnished the two room > it constructed to be used as a resting place for Kalahandi District > Collector when he travels on duty. > > “It was pointed out to us that there are instances where a government > department has received material assistance from VAL, and that this could > detract from the neutrality of the government department,” she has said in > her report. > “As an instance, it was pointed out that two rooms had been added to the > BDO's office in Viswanathpur, and furnished, by VAL as a resting place for > the Collector when he travels on duty. > > “This is a disturbing state of affairs and needs to be checked if the > neutrality of the state is to be maintained,” Ramanathan said in her report > that she submitted to the Centre on March 11. > > The three member committee was sent by the MoEF in view of the allegations > leveled against VAL regarding violation of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 > and to address concerns regarding tribal rights and wildlife. > > > > = > > >
National Forum - Strong Christian call for Reconciliation, Justice and peace in Kandhamal
> Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar > > > Archbishop’s House, 9/16 Satyanagar, Bhubaneswar – 751007, Ph. 0674 > 2575225, Email: crcdc1...@yahoo.com > > > PRESS STATEMENT > > Saturday, 6th February 2009 > > > Archbishop Cheenath’s call for full reconciliation in Kandhamal through > justice; deep concern at slow pace of reconstruction and rehabilitation; > Cynical authorities diverting issues from restoring human dignity of the > 2008 anti- Christian violence survivors > > > [The following is the statement of His Grace Raphael Cheenath, SVD > Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar at a Press Conference today on the current > situation in Kandhamal, Orissa and issues of rehabilitation and > reconciliation and justice in the District. The press conference was also > addressed by Dr John Dayal, Member, National Integration Council, and > Secretary General, All India Christian Council.] > > > > > Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, the senior Church leader of Orissa, said today > that despite the claims of the state and district administrations, the human > dignity, rights and life of the Christian victims of the 2008 violence > remained far from normal. Fifteen months after they were uprooted, thousand > still live in makeshift shanties along the road, and in the forests, with no > seeming hope of rehabilitation, and harassed daily by Block and panchayat > officials and the police. Hundreds of babies have been born in these > conditions. “We want full reconciliation and lasting peace in Kandhamal > which will be possible when justice is transparent, lives are rebuilt and > people return to their own villages without fear. We do not want any > ghettoisation in the district.” > > > He faulted the attitude of the authorities on three major issues – the > criminal justice dispensation system in the Fast Track courts which was > being subverted by terrorising of witnesses and shoddy investigations, the > utter inadequacy of government assistance in rebuilding houses, and the > absence of genuine employment, livelihood and education schemes. It may be > recalled the present District collector was very much on duty and present at > the spot with the Deputy Inspector General and other top police officers > when the violence started, and the mob attacked the Phulbani Church in the > District headquarters. > > > The Church, which had received no assistance at all in rebuilding its own > places of worship social development institutions, had extended great help, > but the task was far too big for non government organisations. “It needs > political will to implement special schemes by the government. We are > willing to help to the best of our ability and resources,” he assured the > government. But, he said, he would have no hesitation in again approaching > the Orissa High Court at Cuttack and the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi > if the misery of the people was not ameliorated. They cannot be allowed to > live through another summer and other monsoons without a shelter over their > heads. The victims need sympathy but administration is raising all sorts of > rules and regulations in the matter of relief and rehabilitation. Various > human rights groups have warned of trafficking in young girls of the > district. > > > Initially, 10 to 11,000 families were displaced from their homes by the > violence. An estimated 1,200 families have migrated from the immediate area, > many of them to Bhubaneswar or to other states in India. Over 6,000 refugees > are living in the Saliasahi slums of Bhubaneswar, the State capital, and > tens of thousands are working as labour in Andhra and other states, some as > far away as Kerala and Punjab. 200-300 families continue to reside in > private displacement camps in the district. At least 4,400 families continue > to live in tents, makeshift shelters or the remnants of their damaged > houses. The remainder of families have returned either to their villages or > near their villages. The numbers who have received financial assistance from > the government or the church or NGOs is not known for certain, but is > believed to be 1,100. > > > The Dalit Christians remain the worst sufferers and have been denied > employment, land and other entitlements. The state government’s schemes > announced by the Chief Minister must embrace all communities. This is so > even in the employment of Special Police Offices, SPOs,” he said. The > District Collector has no hope to offer to the Dalits. > > > In the violence between 25the August and December 2008, as many as 5347 > houses were looted and destroyed by fire, many women and girls were raped, > and more than 75 people were murdered in the name of religion and ethnicity. > Large-s
National Forum - Christian refugees in Kandhamal
* Protest against hounding of G Udaigiri refugees as Kandhamal Administration cleans up district on eve of European Delegation Visit; government must give time frame for rehab, employment of all victims* Kandhamal-Bhubaneswar, 3 February 2010 All India Christian Council Secretary General Dr John Dayal, who is also a member of the National Integration Council, has expressed his deep distress and anguish at the hounding of and forcible evacuations of Christian refugees living in shanties in G Udaigiri in a cosmetic operation on the eve of the visit of the European delegation which will go to the district on 4thand 5 th February 2010. In letters to the EU delegation, as also to the State government and national human rights and minorities commissions, Dr Dayal narrated the plight of the 91 members of 21 families of 11 villages now being forced to live under plastic sheets along the road in the New Hatu-Pada [weekly marketplace] of G Udaigiri town, just outside the town. * * The families are originally refugees from the villages of Killaka, Kutuluma, Rotingia-Porakia, Kiramaha, Dokadia, G-Mangia, Ratingia, Dhangarama, Lorangia, Dakapala, Rudiangia, in Raikia and other blocks. The group includes 11 married women, three widows, and an old man with fracture of the hips and thighs, and two infants who were born in the camp. The families said they had to flee their villages in the first wave of violence on 25-26 August 2008, and were out up in the Habaika High school refugee camp run by the government. After some months, as the government arbitrarily started closing down the formal refugee camps, they were dispersed from Habaika and came to stay in the cemented platforms and structures of the New Hato Pada market just outside the G Udaigiri township. The men folk found casual work as labour in the shops and fields nearby as they were not being given any aid by the government, or indeed by any other official or voluntary agency. They had been abandoned to their fate. * * *They were constantly harassed by the market authorities, but allowed to stay on after their daily dose of threats and abuses. They could not go back to their villages where they had been threatened all these months with the village leaders insisting they would be allowed only if they converted to Hinduism.* Suddenly, when it was learnt that the EU delegation was coming, the Market Committee secretary, Jeevan Pattnaik, came with uniformed men, said he was going to lock up the pump of the bore well which provided them water, and told them to get out of the market. Barring the family of the man whose thighs are fractured and who cannot move at all, the other families fled the market and set up their shanties along the road, on the raised boundary, using plastic sheets as a roof to shield them from the winter. Last night the Naib Tehsildar, the civil officer in charge of the G Udaigiri block, came to spot with a jeep of police accompanying him and asked the refugees to get out their shanties and move away. When they, and in particular the women, protested, he told them they could for the night come back to the market sheds, but to clear the road, as those were his orders. A blackout of the mobile phone system in Kandhamal which had lasted 48 hours prevented a faster implementation of his orders as other officials had to be summoned from the Raikia town by sending a messenger. When I left the place at 10 pm, the refugees were still on the road in their shanties. Dr Dayal said it was a matter of regret that a drive has been launched to ensure that visiting fact finding teams, and in particular the EU delegation, do not see the real magnitude of tragedy, and that it is continuing. Much worse, the inhuman trauma on the children, women and men who have been thrice displaced, has not even been taken into official consideration. *At this moment, there is no information if the authorities at all want to give land and rehabilitate this group of 91 human beings. The government has also not spoken of the rehabilitation of tens of thousands of refugees, or how it intends to see that the houses which were destroyed, are completed. Even with the help of the church, more than half of the 5,600 or so houses will still remain un-built, or incomplete. There is no information on employment of the victims and resuming the interrupted education of thousands of children. There are also over 270 families in Barakhama who were displaced in the December 2007 violence and are still to get land or house. The government must give a time frame for all this, Dr Dayal said.* The AICC has expressed the hope the authorities will take humanitarian action and settle the G. Udaigiri refugees. “We also hope the justice dispensation process will ensure just punishment for all those who are threatening this group with forcible conversion. The authorities must also take disciplinary action against the erring officials”, the press statement said. Signed
In Kandhamal a year after the dreadful day of 24th August 2008, the situation remains terrible
Our Lord teaches us not to hate. We do not hate our enemies. But Fear is real, especially in Orissas Kandhamal district. It is not just Kandhamal, or indeed Orissa. Unfortunately, circumstances in India are such that the religious minorities and the marginalised groups, the Dalits and others, have to live under the shadow of fear, of violence and domination, hate and official impunity, always looking over the shoulder for the next threat. Priests in forest parishes, pastors in villages, evangelists in distant rural areas, and social activists live under a very real and very dark shadow of fear. On 23rd August 2008, Lakhmanananda Saraswati, the vice-president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), was shot dead in Kandhamal, Orissa, a local group of the Left extreme Maoists claiming credit for killing man they held to be guilty of many anti-people activities in the region. His body was taken around in a day long procession through Kandhamals forest villages and townships by the VHP leaders as the police provided help, or just looked on. The violence followed in its wake, as surely as anti-Muslim violence had followed in the wake of Lal Krishna Advanis notorious Yatra 20 years earlier or the anti-Muslim pogrom erupted in Gujarat after the bodies of people burnt in the Sabarmati Express in February 2002 in Godhra railway station in the state. As in Gujarat, the State looked on, many of its agencies almost abetting the violence by acts of omission and commission. The parallels with Gujarat 2002 continue. In Kandhamal a year after that dreadful day of 24th August 2008, the situation remains terrible. We know for a fact that perhaps as many as 20,000 [of the 50,000 who were rendered homeless when almost 5,000 houses were torched by Hindutva mobs] remain internally displaced persons, living as refugees or beggars in other towns of Orissa and in nearby states, some even in Mumbai and New Delhi. Some live in Christian ghettos created by the government which could not protect them in their home villages. We know that so called fast track courts of the Orissa government have set free known killers because the police did not prepare a sound case and because the state failed to protect witnesses who were threatened and who could not give evidence. We know that government has reneged in its promise of financial relief and rehabilitation of widows and other victims of the violence. We also know to our deep regret how even so called judicial commissions headed by retired High Court judges have tried to pin blame on Christians citing conversions as the main cause of violence without even trying to identify the perpetrators of murderous violence. The threat is potent enough for many Christians to prefer to live in government refugee camps in ghastly conditions because the killers roam scot free in their home villages while the police look on. All this has been documented not just by me since the first spark of 24th December 2007, but by the international media, and by noted Indian Christian investigative reporters such as Anto Akkara and Vishal Arora. Independent scholars Professor Angana Chatterji of California, and Prof Manoranjan Mohanty and Advocate Vrinda Grover, both of New Delhi have documented this. Even the National Minorities Commission has commented on it. And of course the Church and its Human Rights activists continue to raise the issue with the National and State governments. The uneasy peace is maintained by armed police whose energies have however been diverted to cope with Maoist militant activity in this region and other states. The main threat continues to be from Hindutva elements who have tasted blood and who have prospered and flourished under official patronage. Many of them are now joining the ruling party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The police and administration is also heavily infiltrated by these elements. The lack of a witness programme and the involvement of crucial police officers prevent real investigation and ensure a miscarriage of justice. We await superior court judgments to petitions that these criminal cases be tried outside Kandhamal and outside Orissa so that witness protection programmes can be put into place. .Official impunity, the tacit support to Hindutva, and increasing polarisation do not augur well for religious minorities. But this is our homeland, and we will remain, even if the struggle for justice has to continue indefinitely. It is the states duty to end violence, a duty it must carry out. We are before the Supreme Court for this, as also before the President of India. We also know that the international human rights community is watching India. For the Christians of Orissa and of Kandhamal in particular, there is the strength of faith which prevents the fear from becoming a routing or crippling paralysis. Even in the darkest hour of violence in Orissa a year ago, the people refused to abandon their faith, and
