Even after a year of violence, the plight of the victims of the genocide in Orissa still remains the same.  The stories of the suffering of the victims of Kandhamal Carnage need to be told.  The narratives by victims need to be heard.  There is a need to document the perceptions of the victims.  Orissa Citizens' Initiative, (OCI), a secular forum coordinated by the Jesuits working with the victims in Orissa, is doing the documentation of trauma narratives, and Narratives of Hope, viz., peoples' own efforts at conflict resolution and peace building.

With this objective in view, OCI, has produced a video documentary 'Kandhamal'.

This entire documentation is also available to view in three parts on youtube.

The dynamics of the video is as follows: The victims courageously narrate the plight in their own words.  Their version is corroborated by the views of activists, and concerned intellectuals.  The victims were not given the questions ahead.  They have given the OCI permission to show their faces and tell the truth as it is.  Scholastic Shailendra Boora (AND) has done a commendable job of filming and editing the DVD.  The video documentation began in June 2009, and was completed in September 2009.  All the Jesuits working in Orissa, and their collaborators are part of this effort.

What we have done is only a small effort to tell the truth.  Post production of this DVD, we in OCI, feel that there are still pertinent issues that need further truth telling and discussion.  Examples could be: the concerns of children, women, and youth; the role of media, governance structures, Church and Community Based Organizations in and during violence, and in conflict resolution and peace building.  We invite concerned citizens and groups to collaborate with us in bringing to light the perspectives of the victims on these and other concerns.

S.Tony (OCI)