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News Update ........

Orissa Violence Victims Begin Their 3-Day Protest In Delhi

NEW DELHI , MAR. 19, 2008, 10.40 Hrs (CBCI News):

Orissa violence victims along with Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) a Bangalore based organization working for the protection of rights of weaker sections of the society staged a protest rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Archbishop Vincent Concessao of Delhi Archdiocese inaugurated the three day protest rally n Tuesday morning at Jantar Mantar urging the State and the Central Governments to protect the rights of minorities and provide safety to the most neglected people of the society who are easy targets of the fundamentalist groups.

Several religious and political leaders addressed the rally and supported the demands put forward by the victims of violence who have traveled all the way from Kandhamal in Orissa to New Delhi to seek the intervention of the Central Government to get justice from the State Government which has been protecting the perpetrators of violence.

150 plus victims of violence of Kandhamal District of Orissa participated in the strike.

According to Dr. Sajan George, President of GCIC, the Christian community is horrified by the inaction of the administration and the human rights violation that takes place goes unnoticed.

Dr. Sajan George said that the government makes announcements and tall claims but the fact remains that Kandhamal is still on the boil and certain acts of the government following the Christmas 2007 violence have further empowered the powerful section to suppress and torment the minorities.

Dr. George added that contrary to claims of the government that it had brought the situation under control within four days of the violence and relief as well as rehabilitation measures are in full swing, the affected families continue to be a tormented lot.

The victims who on the round the clock protest rally have submitted a memorandum to the President of India, Prime Minister of India and the Home Minister to act on the following demands of the Christian community.

•	Uphold the Constitutional Rights of all Indian citizens especially the Christian Minority
•	Dismiss the Orissa Government for failure to protect minorities
•	Institute a CBI enquiry into the Christmas week violence against Christians
•	Stop Balkanisation of India on the basis or religion and community
•	Arrest leaders inciting attacks against Christians
•	Address issue of starvation deaths in Kandhamal refugee camps
•	Stop the continued persecution of Christians by the police and in the relief Camps in Kandhamal
•	Stop filing false cases against Christian victims of violence
•	Allow NGOs and civil society groups to provide relief services to the inmates of the refugee camps in Kandamal
•	Ensure immediate rehabilitation of all the victims of the violence
•	Compensation: Rebuild 800 houses and 104 Churches and 80 other institutions etc

Issued by:

GCIC Team:
New Delhi: 9871200614
Bangalore: 09448369721
Bhubaneshwar: 9338216714, 09884069735

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