CSW has called once again for justice as the Christian community in Kandhamal, Odisha, marks the 14th anniversary of one of the most severe outbreaks of anti-Christian violence in India’s history.
The Kandhamal violence erupted on 25 August 2008 in response to the murder of a Hindu preacher Swami Lakshmananda Saraswati, which the perpetrators claimed was the result a ‘Christian conspiracy’. Attacks continued over a period of several months during which at least 90 people were killed, over 300 churches and 6,000 houses were burnt or destroyed, close to 75,000 people were displaced and about 40 women were raped and sexually assaulted. Many who fled the district have never returned, and many others are yet to receive the compensation that was promised to them by the government.
Seven Christians, including a mentally unstable man, were arrested and imprisoned after being accused of the murder of Mr Saraswati, however those responsible for the ensuing massacre have faced no consequences for their actions.
In a welcome development in 2019, the Supreme Court released the seven imprisoned Christians on bail, but justice remains elusive. CSW sources report that out of 3,300 complaints raised by victims, only an estimated 800 First Information Reports, which are required for the police to open an investigation, were registered, and only 518 were charge sheeted. In 2016, a study was conducted by advocate Vrinda Grover and Professor Saumya Uma in which they found that the conviction rate of the charge sheeted cases was about 5.13%.
Christians in Odisha and across India will be conducting several events throughout the week to mark the anniversary of the violence. A mass public gathering is planned on 27 August in Kandhamal, where people will campaign for peace and harmony. On 25 August, an organisation called the Citizens for Justice, Peace and Harmony held talks on the issue with contributions from prominent speakers such as Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of social reformer B. R. Ambedkar. Discussions focused on justice, peace, reconciliation, and the increasing polarisation of the media.
Father Ajaya Singh, a Catholic priest who has been working towards the rehabilitation of the victims, told CSW: “Fourteen years later, justice is yet to be served. The Supreme Court of India had directed the Odisha government to open up the 316 cases. But they haven’t done that yet because the SC did not give a deadline as to when to open it. It is a gross miscarriage of justice. Many of the people who had fled are yet to come back because they feel unsafe.”
CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: “CSW stands in solidarity with all those whose lives were forever changed by the egregious violence which took place in Kandhamal fourteen years ago. Calls for unhindered reparations have been loud and clear for so many years, but the Indian government is yet to respond to these calls in a satisfactory way. We call on the authorities to take sustainable steps to bring closure to families who continue to suffer, including by ensuring that victims receive the compensation they were promised, and that those responsible for the violence are finally held to account.”
