Fact finding team visit Kandhamal

The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights with allied organizations like NAWO, Odisha Forum for Social Action, human rights activists and journalists conducted a fact finding visit to investigate into the recent cases of rapes in Kandhamal district.

On January 10, 2013, the fact finding team visited five villages ( Tiangia, Simanbadi, Daringbadi, Badagaon, Sarangoda and Tikabali ) in Kandhamal district. In each village, the team met the rape survivors, the family, community members and the investigating police officers at the police station. The fact-finding team also met the District Collector in Kandhamal and shared their findings and recommendations.

The five cases reported to the fact-finding team were apparently "found to be authentic" and the alleged crimes were reported.

The members of the team expressed their shock and anguish over the gruesome cases of rape and murder of Dalit Christian girls in the recent months at Kandhamal and at the same time were angered with the fact that these cases never figured in the recent discussions on sexual violence and rape in India.

Delays in investigation, serious lapse in role of police, zero support from district administration and total breakdown of statutory bodies is clearly visible in every case that has been investigated. The entire child protection system, including CWC, JJB, Child line has not played any role in support of the victims, says Manju Prabha of NAWO

"The Chief Minister of Orissa claims to have stayed away from New Year celebrations, in solidarity with the recent victim of rape in Delhi, but we wonder what he has done in response to these five inhuman acts of sexual violence on young Dalit girls in Kandhamal?" asks Namrata Daniel of National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights

The families of the rape victims reportedly continue to live in abject poverty conditions, without access to basic entitlements. Absence of job cards, access to PDS and other flag-ship programmes was visible in all cases, the fact finding team said.

The team members have called for fast track courts to conduct speedy trials, to ensure filing of charge sheet for the investigated cases, full rehabilitation plan for the survivors and families, review of enforcement of SC/ST PoA Act at district and state level, among others.