Kandhamal verdict cheers Christian victims

(December 28, 2010) Activists and victims of anti-Christian violence in 2008 in eastern India’s Orissa state have expressed relief after a fast track court on Monday sentenced nine influential people in arson cases. The convicted include a government high school teacher and a leader of Hindu hardliners in Kandhamal district. The court sentenced them to five years of hard labour in jail and a fine of 5,000 rupees. They will have to spend another year in jail if they fail to pay the fine. The nine were accused of burning Christian houses in Sumarbandha and Dabangapadar villages on Sep 1, 2008, in Kandhamal district. Father Dibakar Parichha, a lawyer who works among the survivors of the 2008 anti-Christian violence said such verdicts bring confidence among the victims. Manas Ranjan Singh of Human Rights Law Network, a lawyer who helped on the case, hailed the verdict as “a huge success” saying the convicts “are very influential persons.” Father Manoj Kumar Nayak, who is helping rebuilding houses in the area, told Ucanews the school teacher deserved the sentence since he indulged in crimes against Christians, instead of teaching. The anti-Christian violence that lasted for seven weeks from Aug. 24, 2008 claimed 95 lives and destroyed more than 6,500 houses in 450 villages.