Christians cheered by visit of EU envoys to India

Church leaders say victims of anti-Christian violence in Orissa have been encouraged by a five-member European delegation's visit. 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, told UCA News Nov. 17.

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.

One victim, Kommita Nayak, the widow of a soldier who died during the riots said her family had been told to become Hindus or face death. "Out of fear we agreed," she said.

Nayak said she had suspected the attackers had poisoned her husband. "The fanatics gave my husband some liquid to drink saying it would 'purify' our family. He fell ill and died three days later," she said, adding that she had been too scared until now to reveal this.

The anti-Christian violence in Orissa began on Aug. 24, 2008, a day after Maoists killed a Hindu religious leader and his four associates in Kandhamal. Christians were blamed for the incident, sparking seven weeks of anti-Christian riots 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."

The Europeans later met the state's police chief to take stock of the law and order situation in Kandhamal and other districts where Maoists are active.