New violence against Christians in Orissa is threatened

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) is warning of new attacks against Christians in the Indian federal state of Orissa. "The withdrawal of 4,000 federal police from the crisis region of Kandhamal means that the Christian Adivasi native people are losing their only real protection”, said the GfbV Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius, on Thursday in Göttingen. All 40 companies of federal police stationed in the disturbed region are to be withdrawn in stages. While the local police in Orissa just looked on during the attacks on Christians in the autumn of 2008 the federal police have during their time in the crisis region held back the violence. Many Christians are now in fear because militia of the radical Hindus have threatened new acts of violence. A newly formed armed militia force has recently announced that a Christian will be shot on the 23rd of each month.

More than 4,400 houses of Christians were destroyed in Orissa in the past four months by extremist Hindus following the murder of a radical Hindu leader on 23rd August 2008. Hindu nationalists held Christians responsible for the murder, although the police believe that Maoist rebels committed the crime.

"The crisis region is far removed from normality and peace”, said Delius. In view of the climate of fear it is quite irresponsible for the authorities to close the refugee camps, in which several thousand Christians have sought refuge since August 2008. One refugee from the village of Kajuri has laid a complaint at the Supreme Court of Orissa against the closure of his camp because the state can no longer guarantee the safety of its citizens. Those returning home must fear for their lives if they do not allow themselves to be converted to Hinduism. Hindu activists sought out the house of refugees returning to their village of Mokibili on 10th January 2009 and threatened them with death if they settled back in the village.

Another point is that the compensation for people who have been driven out, which was promised in October 2008 to those returning home, does not make it easy to make a new start. Refugee families receive only 150 euros as a starter with 50 kilos of rice and a roll of polythene to repair their destroyed houses.

"Most of the persons carrying out the violent attacks will remain unpunished since the authorities of Orissa do all in their power to call off the criminal proceedings”, criticised Delius. So the refugees and the so-called "peace committees" appointed by the government are being pressed to withdraw their charges concerning the acts of violence and to make no further demands.