Orissa's Christians still hiding in forests

by Dibin Samuel and Anne Thomas
Monday, January 5, 2009

As cold weather grips Orissa state, Christian leaders in India have expressed their shock at the revelation that there are still Christians hiding in forests to escape violence.

In spite of the presence of thousands of paramilitary forces in the state, hundreds of people, including many Christians and Hindus, are believed to be hiding in forests. They are fearful of a repurcussion of the violence that swept through the north-eastern state late last year after the murder of a radical Hindu leader.

"Hundreds of tribals haven’t returned home after the riots,” district collector Krishan Kumar told Indo-Asian News Service.

“The tribals had recently visited their villages but fled to the forest again. We are trying to reach them." the rest