By GAVIN RABINOWITZ,Associated Press Writer <cite class="auth">AP - Saturday, October 25
</cite>NEW DELHI - A nun who was allegedly raped during an attack on Christians by an enraged Hindu mob in eastern India said Friday she would not cooperate with local police, whom she accused of sitting idly while she was brutally attacked.
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Talking to the media in New Delhi, her head and face covered with a scarf, she described in detail her ordeal when the mob allegedly attacked a prayer hall in the eastern state of Orissa where she worked. Speaking in public for the first time since the Aug. 25 assault, she told how she was captured by a group of some 50 men who tore off her clothes and then raped her. Later, she was paraded naked, together with a priest, past several policeman who refused to help her. When she did eventually find refuge in a police station the officers tried to dissuade her from filing a complaint, she said. "I was raped and now I don't want to be victimized by Orissa police," she said, justifying her refusal to return to the state to cooperate with the police. Instead, she called for a federal investigation. Orissa police have been harshly criticized for waiting more than a month to begin investigating the incident and only taking steps after the alleged rape was publicized in the media.
Police said it was because they had not received the medical report that confirmed she was likely raped until then. The have since detained five men. The alleged attack came after clashes broke out between Hindus and Christians in Orissa's Kandhamal district after the killing of a Hindu religious leader. At the time, police blamed Maoist rebels active in the area, but conservative Hindu groups blamed Christian residents and set fire to a Christian orphanage. According to the state government, 32 people have died in the ensuing violence. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India has said at least 40 Christians have been killed. Relations are usually peaceful between Christians, who make up 2.5 percent of India's 1.1 billion people, and Hindus, who account for more than 80 percent. However, Orissa has a history of anti-Christian violence with hard-line Hindu groups claiming Christian missionary groups are forcing or bribing people to convert to Christianity, charges denied by Christian leaders.
</cite>NEW DELHI - A nun who was allegedly raped during an attack on Christians by an enraged Hindu mob in eastern India said Friday she would not cooperate with local police, whom she accused of sitting idly while she was brutally attacked.
<!--Vendor: Yahoo, Format: Standard --><script language="javascript"> if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['vEwqTXxseNI-']='&U=13fv8mtcq%2fN%3dvEwqTXxseNI-%2fC%3d707048.13076240.13278274.2013436%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d5539901%2fV%3d1'; </script><noscript>
Talking to the media in New Delhi, her head and face covered with a scarf, she described in detail her ordeal when the mob allegedly attacked a prayer hall in the eastern state of Orissa where she worked. Speaking in public for the first time since the Aug. 25 assault, she told how she was captured by a group of some 50 men who tore off her clothes and then raped her. Later, she was paraded naked, together with a priest, past several policeman who refused to help her. When she did eventually find refuge in a police station the officers tried to dissuade her from filing a complaint, she said. "I was raped and now I don't want to be victimized by Orissa police," she said, justifying her refusal to return to the state to cooperate with the police. Instead, she called for a federal investigation. Orissa police have been harshly criticized for waiting more than a month to begin investigating the incident and only taking steps after the alleged rape was publicized in the media.
Police said it was because they had not received the medical report that confirmed she was likely raped until then. The have since detained five men. The alleged attack came after clashes broke out between Hindus and Christians in Orissa's Kandhamal district after the killing of a Hindu religious leader. At the time, police blamed Maoist rebels active in the area, but conservative Hindu groups blamed Christian residents and set fire to a Christian orphanage. According to the state government, 32 people have died in the ensuing violence. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India has said at least 40 Christians have been killed. Relations are usually peaceful between Christians, who make up 2.5 percent of India's 1.1 billion people, and Hindus, who account for more than 80 percent. However, Orissa has a history of anti-Christian violence with hard-line Hindu groups claiming Christian missionary groups are forcing or bribing people to convert to Christianity, charges denied by Christian leaders.
