Kandhamal victims were let down
by Orissa Govt
by Orissa Govt

Two years after anti-Christian riots in Kandhamal district of Orissa claimed 38 lives and saw about 6,000 homes burned, senior Christian leaders have expressed disappointment with the approach of no serious problems of the State Government's rehabilitation and compensation.

On Monday, the Rev. Raphael Cheenath, archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, said the state government, despite promises from above, had little victims of riots, including 35 women who suffered sexual abuse. "There is great concern and the problem is not completely resolved. With respect to compensation, I mean, many types of damage ... people have lost their household items. .. Some of them have lost family members were killed. But the State government consulted the victims.

They said, 'Take Rs 20,000, 50 000 ... If you are not going to drink, forget it. 'What about institutions, churches and training centers where lakhs of rupees have been damaged place,' said the archbishop. He added that the bodies of the Church helped construct some 2,500 of the 6,000 homes damaged or destroyed during the disturbances, while the rest remained half built or unbuilt.

Arguing about 4,000 people from 20 villages are still unable to return to their homes because of fear, the archbishop has called for adequate protection for victims and witnesses during trial of the cases.