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More than 5000 homeless after Hindu-Christian violence in Orissa

At least 3000 people, most of them Christians, are living in government-run relief camps after days of Christian-versus-Hindu violence in the Kandhamal district of Orissa State in eastern India, government officials said, reports Christian Telegraph.

Christian community leaders said that at least 1,000 Christian homes had been set on fire and more than 5,000 people were homeless.

In the face of a few small-scale confrontations reported on 31st August in some riot-hit districts that compel authority to constrict movement in those sensitive places, the Kandhamal district of Orissa observed a peaceful Monday with no fresh incident of violence.

The situation as reported by local media is returning back to customary activity but people are still scared to come out of their homes fearing any untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, a curfew imposed on the Jeypore town of Koraput District that witnessed communal violence on Saturday was lifted in the day time on Monday. At least 11 people were injured in violent clashes on August 30.

After a three days curfew in Kandhamal District, the authority had lifted it for 10 hours on Friday allowing normalcy. But as precautionary measures, the State has urged the Centre to send more para-military forces to contain violent activities.

558 houses, 17 churches were torched: Government

The state government provided a brief outlook of the life and property loss in the week-long religious clash. According to officials, at least 558 houses and 17 churches/religious places were torched during the communal clash which broke out on August 23 following the killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati.

In a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, it was identified that 543 houses were alone torched in the worst affected Kandhamal while 15 were in the Gajapati district.

The total number of injured persons in Kandhamal rose to 35 and death toll at 16.

Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy also briefed about the relief and rehabilitation activities in the violence-hit areas such as Raikia, K Nuagaon, Balliguda, Phiringia, Tikabali, Chakapada and Daringibadi blocks in Kandhamal districts. People were being provided with food and other necessities in relief camps.

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TAGS: Hindu-Christian violence Orissa India persecution Kandhamal District relief

[09/03/2008]

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