Christians' Slowly return to Orissa, India

The vice-president of the National Commission for minorities visits the refugee camps.

BHUBANESHWAR (AsiaNews) - "Complete normality is yet to be restored". Those are the words of vice-chairman of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), after his visit to the refugee camps in the villages of Baliguda and Raika, in Khandhamal, the district worst hit by anti-Christian violence in Orissa.

During his visit on June 14th and 15th Pinto met with 3 thousand refugees, to personally verify their living conditions and the general situation in the area. The Vice President of the NCM was able to determine progress made in the return of the refugees to their villages. At the end of the two day visit the declared: "It is the government's duty to ensure that not a single person feels the need to stay in the relief camp".

Pinto stated that paramilitary forces should remain in the region until full normalcy has been restored and added that he will request the further deployment of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). As of May 31st the military personnel overseeing security in the areas most at risk in Orissa began their withdrawal. In some areas, above all the areas of Baliguda and Raika, there have been cases of renewed violence.

Reached by AsiaNews, Sajan K. George, President of the Global Council of Indian Christians (Gcic) explains that "security is still a major issue for our Kandhamal Chrsitians and that Christians are still terrified to return to their villages". The GCIC president adds that one of the main reasons for their terror is that the ringleaders of the violence have not been arrested and still roam free in the villages.

Pinto expressed satisfaction for progress made on re building Churches damaged in the attacks in Khandhamal. The NCM vice President confirmed that the government has slated 2 and a half million rupee (circa 37 thousand euro) for restoration work. Sajan K.George says that the sum is insufficient to meet the needs in the various zones of the state and that as a result reconstruction work is slow or even stopped because of clashes between national and local authorities.

Further complicating re building efforts are contrasts with local Hindu communities. The GCIC president cites the example of the Batticola parish church: "The Hindus after razing the church to the ground in August 2008, began constructing a Hindu temple, and whilst the administration put a stay order on the construction of the temple, they are not permitting rebuilding of the Church which was inaugurated around 1995, no Christians have returned to their homes, they are still in the relief camps".