Initiative for Justice, peace and HumanRights secretary Advocate Fr Dibya Parichha and Dr John Dayal, Member of the NationalIntegration Council and Secretary General, All India Christian Council, metNHRC chairman Justice K G Balakrishnan and National Minorities Commission MrWajahat Habibullah in New Delhi and submitted a detailed memorandum listing theshortcomings in compensation, rehabilitation, employment and justice delivery.

Theypointed out that four years after the violence, the victims suffer frommiscarriage of justice, inadequate compensation and almost no regard torehabilitation and employment. Even the Central government’s Mahatma GandhiNREGA is not properly implemented for the Christian poor. Children are theworst victim – official apathy and continuing poverty of their parents as themain reason.

An inclusive Task Force was therefore required forcomprehensive action to help the victims who are yet to get out of the traumaof the violence.  It may be recalled thatover 5,000 victims had staged a demonstration in the district capital Phulbanion 25 August to voice their protest at the state of affairs.

The memorandum pointed out the districtadministration’s  perfidy even in thematter of counting the dead.  There wereoutbreaks of cholera, dysentery, and malaria in the relief camps. As many as 27persons, mostly aged or very young died because of this or of injuriessustained in the attacks. Their names are not included in the official list ofdeaths for compensation. Similarly  5persons who were maimed by the attackers have also not got relief.

Widows are also in distress. 27 widows andmany more whose husbands’ murders have not been recorded by the police and theadministration and their aged parents are in dire need of assistance such aspension and employment.

The survey list of Orissa Government forcompensation for homes damaged during the communal violence 2008 is notaccurate. Hundreds of families who lost their homes were not registered. Thecompensation of Rs. 50, 000/- for fully damaged homes and Rs. 25, 000/- forpartially damaged homes is far below the actual loss and damaged suffered andinadequate for rebuilding the structure. The compensation granted by the statetowards rebuilding 230 churches and prayer halls is grossly inadequate.

Similarly, as many as 11 publicinstitution and NGOs which were looted and destroyed during the violence by theMob are not considered for compensation by the State Government despite thefact that Criminal complaints were registered and representations submitted to theadministration for compensation. The list of 11 institutions with details isgiven in Annexure- 7, p. 57

Another serious issue is of therehabilitation of Christians involved in small businesses which were totallydestroyed in targeted violence. On the other hand, of the 101 shop-owners, 11 havebeen served notice of recovery by the banks under PMRY loan scheme (PrimeMinister’s Rozagar Yozna).

It is estimated that approximately10,000 victims are still living outside their respective villages in other districtsof Orissa and migrated to states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat etc.unable to return due to threat to lives, social and economic boycott, conditionsto withdraw criminal complaints and convert to Hinduism and forcibleconversion. The total number of people requires official verification.

A survey by the internationally reputed“HAQ: Centre for Child Rights”, in Kandhamal during 2010-2011 revealed thenature of the severe impact of the violence on education of the affected Dalitand Tribal children. All children lost an academic year.  Those in secondary school missed the BoardExaminations and many dropped out of school as they were unable to pay the fees.Hundreds of children left Kandhamal for other states like Gujarat, Kerala andAndhra Pradesh looking for work. Some were trafficked. Government has not takenany action so far.