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Kandhamal victims’ plea to put off polls

Aarti Dhar

Civil society groups point to the plight of the displaced people

Conditions not conducive for displaced to return
More violence against women, children alleged

NEW DELHI: People displaced from Kandhamal that saw several rounds of communal riots last year have appealed to the Election Commission to postpone elections in the district in Orissa until close to 22,000 people who are missing since the violence broke out are accounted for.

In a petition filed before the Commission on Wednesday, indigenous people under the banner of the Kuidina Forum for Peace and Justice, supported by Citizens for Justice and Peace, stated that according to the State government over 23,000 displaced people were living in relief camps in September 2008, but as per the latest figures there were only a little more than 3,000 left there. The rest were neither in their homes nor in any camps.

“This would mean thousands of voters would be unable to exercise their franchise,” Teesta Setalvad, human rights activist and secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace, told reporters.

Alternatively, the Commission should take special steps to ensure that the displaced were able to exercise their franchise, she said.

Over the past three days, the delegation has met officials of the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission of Minorities and the office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights. More meetings with national political parties have also been lined up.

On March 23, a petition filed by the victims — some of whom were present at the press conference — came up before the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice posted it for April 6. The main prayer is to restrain the Orissa administration from forcibly closing the camps.

Threats continue

The victims said the conditions were still not conducive for those displaced to return. Those who had gone back were being threatened by Hindu fundamentalists to either convert to Hinduism or leave, according to them.

Ms. Setalvad said violence against women and children was continuing, and demanded a proper assessment of the loss in human terms and damage to property. Children and young people, who were forced to stay out of school and college, should be compensated.

The master minds behind the anti-minority violence should be punished. Also, the criminal justice system should be restored by setting up special courts under the NHRC’s supervision.

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