European delegation meets victims of anti-Christian Violence in Orissa

(November 19, 2009) Church leaders say victims of anti-Christian violence in Orissa have been encouraged by a five-member European delegation's visit on the 17^th of November. The diplomats promised to step up pressure on the Indian government to provide security and justice for the victims. They also promised to brief their own governments about their findings. "The concern and solidarity shown by the international community will encourage and strengthen the victims in their quest for justice and dignity," Father Ajay Singh, who directs the social service society of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese. Archbishop Raphael Cheenath said he hoped the visit would lead to an improvement of conditions in the eastern state. "It will bring international pressure to bear on the Orissa government to provide security and justice to the victims." Envoys from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden met 12 riot victims the previous day at Archbishop Cheenath's residence. Father Singh said his society arranged to bring the victims to Bhubaneswar, the state capital, as the envoys could not get permission to visit Kandhamal district, where most of the violence was focused. Most of the eight victims told how their relatives were attacked and killed in front of them for refusing the attackers' demand to become Hindus. On Wednesday, nine people have been convicted and sent to prison in connection with the anti-Christian riots in the eastern Indian state of Orissa last year, reports BBC. A local court acquitted five others, including a legislator from the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who were accused of rioting. The court sent nine people to "rigorous imprisonment" and fined them 3,500 rupees ($70) each in a case of arson during the riots. The anti-Christian violence in Orissa began on Aug. 24, 2008 that killed some 90 people and displaced 50,000 others. Archbishop Cheenath told the delegation it would take "a long time" for peace to return to Kandhamal "unless the government takes special efforts."