Blasphemy Report ; Joseph Colony in Lahore 9-Mar-2013
An impressively quick relief effort
has seen the rebuilding of several burned-out homes, but failed to lift the
anxiety of many Christians from Joseph Colony. Now residing in relief camps,
they say they are worried about further reprisals as well as shoddy
construction.
A total of 178 houses and two
churches were burned in attacks earlier this month, following a blasphemy
allegation.
The Punjab government has rebuilt 60
of the houses and distributed cheques amounting to more than US$5,000 to
victims of the March 9 attack on the Christian slum in Lahore.
“Rehabilitation of church, a project
by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif," read plaques displayed
at the entrances of the Catholic and Seventh Day Adventist churches that have
been whitewashed and decorated with brown tiles.
“The reconstruction will be
completed this week. We hired 21 contractors for the project and 700 laborers,
all of them Muslims, who are working here around the clock," said Senator
Kamran Michael.
“The previously built quarters for
the sanitary workers of Joseph Colony were worn out. We have built stronger
roofs," he said. The government has allocated US$1,363,112 in
compensation funds and additional money for construction will be calculated, he
added.
The Lahore district government has
urged refugees not to complain about the quality of the buildings. As part of
that, announcements play over loudspeakers at the temporary shelters:
"Do not interrupt the
workers." “Do not be rude or your cheques will be cancelled and your house
will be unfinished."
Although tired of waiting in these
shelters, many families are still hesitant to return to the newly whitewashed
colony. Sitting in the street in front of his house, Nattan Bernard sobs
with his family, while laborers drive by with heavy vehicles and donkey carts
loaded with cement bags.
“They say your house is ready after
whitewashing the front portion and leaving the two rooms inside which are still
covered in ash," Bernard said. "Ceilings are torn away; walls are
still cracked. We do not feel secure inside.
“Most of the people who helped us
were Muslims, but there are others who say we are receiving aid and have hit a
jackpot," he said. "The steel factories around the colony remain
closed. I know they will blame us for their loss."
Rains at night have added to the
woes in the relief camps. Allah Rakhi, a woman in her 70s whose house is near
completion, is worried for her five daughters after the family spent the last
two nights in the dripping tent.
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