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Sampad Mahapatra, Sabyasachi Panigrahi
Saturday, January 5, 2008 (Barkhama)
They may have lost everything they had less than two weeks ago but they are determined to stand their ground. Their home or whatever remains of it will still be their home.
On Christmas day, a violent Hindu mob descended on Barkhama village and every Christian house was destroyed.
62-year-old Rameswar Digal and his wife were the first to be attacked. Not only were they injured and their house destroyed, the mob also stole their valuables and set fire to the paddy crop Rameshwar had just harvested.
Rameswar Digal, a villager from Barkhama said, ''Everybody ran away to the forest but we could not. They slapped me and hit my abdomen with a stick. Then they set my house on fire.''
''My husband has been ailing and we have been struggling to stay alive. I am scared we will be attacked again but we won't leave this place,'' said Digal's wife.
''The mob did distinguish between the Hindu homes and the Christian homes. For instance, to my immediate left the paddy stock was set on fire because it belonged to a Christian but the other one at a distance was spared because it belonged to a Hindu.''
The attack has left a deep scar and for Christians in this village, it's a nightmare that is best forgotten. But its not going to be easy, the memories still haunt them.
Sumita Digal said, ''They were all armed with lethal weapons and chasing the men and boys. But they spared women and children. I saw the mob chasing an old resident that was finally killed. Blood was dripping from their swords and spears and it was very scary.''
Over 3500 houses belonging to both Hindus and Christians were destroyed during the 10-day long carnage across Kandhmal. Most houses belonged to ordinary people, who have little to do with the battle over religion but their loss was the greatest.
Even if they rebuild their homes with the nominal cash compensation they have been given peace of mind is something that is not going to come to this area easily.
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