Sister Meena recounts the horror of her personally being attacked, a survivor of Gendered Violence, she was paraded naked, an axe held to her neck. "I saw Death and Hate" she says. I have no words to explain the trauma, the physical trauma pain and agony. 1/2
Nights were dreadful, dreams haunted me: I lived with the renewed memories of the heinous attacks four times in a night. Mother Mary came to my solace. So did Jesus' humiliation 2/2
Uprooted I remember Kandhamal from where I have been displaced. During the violence I saw women and children killed in the forest, houses burnt, children and women attacked. Their shattered lives and insecurity added to my paid.
All this did not put me down. They helped me gather courage. Soon after two sisters of my Congregation reached out to help me restore my life: they did not send me home. Apart from phsyical and mental rehab, sent me for future studies like LLB; empowered.
I could not go home for five years. I was treated as equal in my Congregation. My family gave me the freedom to return to them. The support from my family and Congregation gave support.
From to time, I had to go back, test identification first, then the trials traumatised me all over again. I felt more humiliated than the offender accused. There is no support in the court trial system. I developed an aversion for the Court and its process.
For me Forgiveness and Justice are not the same: Forgiveness has freed me from trauma, anger and pain. At the same time, I want justice. It may be too late, yet I am persistent not just for me, but for the people of Kandhamal.
No ill feeling for the accused. Wish they become good people. For me justice is to stop the crime.
