By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Scores of Adivasis from several districts of Assam hit by militant violence were forced to take shelter in different relief camps. With the chilling winter and lack of proper food, clothing and even medicines, the people living in such camps are undergoing horrible time.
Though the state government has tried to provide necessary items for the camp inmates, it is never sufficient and at times, arrives with a delay. In such hour of crisis, there is a section of people always ready to help the needy.
Members of MyFacts distributing relief materials in camps
At times, the government might have failed in providing sufficient relief materials but this section of people has always stood to their ground and delivered the best for the needy.
Adivasis from several districts of Assam were killed by the militants loyal to the Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). Approximately two lakh persons from four districts namely Kokrajhar, Chirang, Sonitpur and Udalguri are living in 115 relief camps.
People of the state under various organizations come for rescue
“It was our duty to help the needy according to our limit. So we decided to sensitize the people and our friend circles via different means including the Facebook. We were overwhelmed by the response. We first visited various camps in Sonitpur district,” said Aman Wadud of MyFacts and Bagh Hazarika Centre for Cultural Studies (BHCCS), which distributed food items and clothing among the relief camp inmates.
Among other items that they are distributing, “the food stuff for the babies is the most important thing in these camps, besides clothes, especially for the elderly. The winter makes their life more miserable,” said Wadud, who is an advocate by profession.
Children react to camera in a relief camp
This group also visited three adivasi camps: Sapkata M E School camp, Sapkata Bazaar camp and Matiapara L P school camp under Gossaigaon subdivision of Kokrajhar district. “We distributed milk, biscuits to all the children and women in these camps. I also thank Majibor Rahman Akand, Anowar Hussain, Mostafa Salehur Rahman, Emran Hussain, Mazharul Islam and Kamil Kujur for their help in distributing relief,” said Sofiul Islam Khan, another member of MyFacts and BHCCS.
Members of MyFacts distributing relief materials in camps
Besides, several other organizations have also contributed for the cause of the poor people stuck in these relief camps. Make Better Life (MBL), another group consisting of young professionals based in Guwahati, has also donated clothes and other necessary relief items at different camps.
Meanwhile, as on Friday, January 2, approximately 2,08,069 persons in four districts namely Kokrajhar, Chirang, Sonitpur and Udalguri are living in 115 relief camps, according to government information. The number of relief camps and camp inmates continued to decrease during last 24 hours as anticipated, leading to closing down of several camps in three districts. Total 28,280 inmates left for their villages in the last 24 hours, said an official statement of the state government.
(Photos credit: Abdul Kalam Azad)