Feb 19, 2010, Babu Thomas -The Orissa Government will soon publish media ads asking riot-hit families to return to their villages in Kandhamal.

"We will soon go to media appealing to people to return to their villages in Kandhamal as normalcy has been restored," said Kandhamal special administrator, MS Padhy.

Noting that the district is violence free for the last 15 months, Padhy urged Christians to return to their villages and start life afresh.

Kandhamal witnessed widespread violence after the murder of Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram Aug 23, 2008. More than 50,000 Christians were forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs.

Padhy has assured protection to those fearing fresh violence if returned to their villages. A toll-free number has also been installed at the district collector's office to receive complaints, he told PTI.

He also claimed that all those families who migrated to Kerala during the riots have been brought back.

Earlier this month, a European Union delegation visited Kandhamal and assessed the ground situation despite protests from Hindu groups.

The 11-member delegation interacted with government officials, Christian leaders and social activists as they toured the district reviewing the developmental activities and rehabilitation measures taken by the government.

Following the EU visit, Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Raphael Cheenath, held a press conference in which he accused the administration of failing to rehabilitate the victims.

Despite tall claims from the state and district administrations, thousands still live in makeshift shanties along the road, and in the forests, with no seeming hope of rehabilitation, he said.

Over 6,000 refugees are living in the Saliasahi slums of Bhubaneswar, the State capital, and tens of thousands are working as labourers in Andhra and other states, some as far away as Kerala and Punjab, according to Cheenath.

Over 200 families continue to reside in private displacement camps in the district. In addition, at least 4,400 families continue to live in tents, makeshift shelters or the remnants of their damaged houses, he said.