John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council (AICC) confirmed previous reports obtained and published by BosNewsLife that Christian refugees often lack medical care in camps, where at least three Christians have died in recent weeks.
Among the latest known victims, he said, was Rameshwar Digal, 55, died February 3 in Barakhama village camp in Orissa’s Baliguda area.
Christian news agency Compass Direct News quoted Dayal as saying that Digal had fled after being attacked December 26 in Kotasahi village during riots that claimed up to nine lives. Law enforcement officials allegedly neither registered his case as murder nor performed an autopsy.
CHRISTIAN MEN
At least two other Christian men held in refugee camps are known to have died in January, although there are indications the death toll may be higher amid confusing reports about names of victims. Information has been sketchy has Christian aid workers have often been denied access to the camps.
Local officials have denied wrongdoing, and say only one elderly man died of "natural causes." The violence began around Christmas in Orissa’s Kandhamal District, when angry Hindu mobs attacked Christian institutions, including churches as well as Christian homes.
The attacks that lasted for more than a week razed at least 730 houses and 95 churches, according to a fact-finding team of the AICC Orissa chapter in comments published by Compass Direct News. At least hundreds of displaced Christians remain in relief camps set up by the Orissa government.
Christians have linked the violence in Orissa to Hindu nationalist groups opposing the spread of Christianity. Christians comprise roughly 16 percent of the 650,000 people in Kandhamal district, according to estimates.
