Express News Service
IMPHAL: As one enters the dingy rooms at the Moirang Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, the stench of stale air is softened by the mirth of playing children. The school in Bishenpur district of Manipur’s Imphal valley has been turned into a relief camp for people displaced by the ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kukis. The inmates have come from localities in the Kuki-majority Churachandpur town and villages such as Torbung, Saiton and Kangvai bordering Churachandpur district.
Not enough space
Altogether 386 inmates, all of them Meiteis, are living in 15 bare rooms with four toilets and a filthy pond outside to bathe in and wash clothes. Life is no better in the remaining other relief camps set up in the district. The inmates are surviving on foodstuffs provided by various civil society organisations and individuals. Shyamkumar Ayekpak and Shalki Devi, both volunteers at the relief camp, said the government has not provided any relief material yet. The camp was set up more than ten days ago.
“The only help from the state government is coming in the form of drinking water, provided by the Public Health Engineering Department. The local MLA is spending from his pocket to help the people. Other individuals and civil society organisations are also helping,” Shalki Devi said. Initially, over 780 people had taken refuge here and with time, some 400 of them left to live with their relatives in the Imphal valley. Shalki Devi said the inmates are surviving mostly on rice and dal. Black tea with biscuits is served in breakfast and evening snacks.
Kids traumatised“The children are not happy at all. Secondly, they are not getting enough space to play. We provided them with 2-3 footballs. The violence had a psychological bearing on some of them,” she said. “The other day, when we asked the children to stand in a queue as chocolates were to be distributed, one of them asked if they would be shot. They are traumatised,” she added. Another relief camp set up at the Okshongbung Birachandra High School in the vicinity has 300 displaced people. Even here, they are surviving on donations from the public.
“We have received no assistance so far from the government. Some clubs and civil society organisations are feeding us,” asked Shantikumar Sagolsem, an inmate. At the Kwakta Government High School relief camp, local Muslims are helping the displaced people. Two toilets are catering to 70 inmates, who include three lactating mothers and 15 children. “The children are facing a lot of difficulties. Muslim brothers and sisters are helping us with food,” said Boboi Ningthoujam, an inmate. The Kukis are lodged at relief camps in the hills. A relief camp set up at the Rostad Memorial High School in Churachandpur has 1,191 inmates, including 251 children and some pregnant women.
Normalcy awaitedSeventy-year-old Thopau Vaiphei said a youth organisation, called Young Vaiphei Association, is providing them with food. “The members of the organisation visit villages to collect relief materials for us. The government hasn’t helped us,” said the old man. Manipur health minister Sapam Ranjan said the state government is taking measures to make sure relief reaches all points wherever needed. “I am monitoring the situation on a daily basis to also make sure that people going through mental trauma are taken care of. Mental health teams will visit the relief camps across the state,” the minister said.
He said the situation was now relatively peaceful with the relaxation of curfew, reopening of offices and banks. “I am sure we will have complete peace and normalcy very soon across the state,” he added.
(To be continued)
IMPHAL: As one enters the dingy rooms at the Moirang Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, the stench of stale air is softened by the mirth of playing children. The school in Bishenpur district of Manipur’s Imphal valley has been turned into a relief camp for people displaced by the ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kukis. The inmates have come from localities in the Kuki-majority Churachandpur town and villages such as Torbung, Saiton and Kangvai bordering Churachandpur district.
Not enough space
Altogether 386 inmates, all of them Meiteis, are living in 15 bare rooms with four toilets and a filthy pond outside to bathe in and wash clothes. Life is no better in the remaining other relief camps set up in the district. The inmates are surviving on foodstuffs provided by various civil society organisations and individuals. Shyamkumar Ayekpak and Shalki Devi, both volunteers at the relief camp, said the government has not provided any relief material yet. The camp was set up more than ten days ago.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
“The only help from the state government is coming in the form of drinking water, provided by the Public Health Engineering Department. The local MLA is spending from his pocket to help the people. Other individuals and civil society organisations are also helping,” Shalki Devi said. Initially, over 780 people had taken refuge here and with time, some 400 of them left to live with their relatives in the Imphal valley. Shalki Devi said the inmates are surviving mostly on rice and dal. Black tea with biscuits is served in breakfast and evening snacks.
Kids traumatised
“The children are not happy at all. Secondly, they are not getting enough space to play. We provided them with 2-3 footballs. The violence had a psychological bearing on some of them,” she said. “The other day, when we asked the children to stand in a queue as chocolates were to be distributed, one of them asked if they would be shot. They are traumatised,” she added. Another relief camp set up at the Okshongbung Birachandra High School in the vicinity has 300 displaced people. Even here, they are surviving on donations from the public.
“We have received no assistance so far from the government. Some clubs and civil society organisations are feeding us,” asked Shantikumar Sagolsem, an inmate. At the Kwakta Government High School relief camp, local Muslims are helping the displaced people. Two toilets are catering to 70 inmates, who include three lactating mothers and 15 children. “The children are facing a lot of difficulties. Muslim brothers and sisters are helping us with food,” said Boboi Ningthoujam, an inmate. The Kukis are lodged at relief camps in the hills. A relief camp set up at the Rostad Memorial High School in Churachandpur has 1,191 inmates, including 251 children and some pregnant women.
Normalcy awaited
Seventy-year-old Thopau Vaiphei said a youth organisation, called Young Vaiphei Association, is providing them with food. “The members of the organisation visit villages to collect relief materials for us. The government hasn’t helped us,” said the old man. Manipur health minister Sapam Ranjan said the state government is taking measures to make sure relief reaches all points wherever needed. “I am monitoring the situation on a daily basis to also make sure that people going through mental trauma are taken care of. Mental health teams will visit the relief camps across the state,” the minister said.
He said the situation was now relatively peaceful with the relaxation of curfew, reopening of offices and banks. “I am sure we will have complete peace and normalcy very soon across the state,” he added.
(To be continued)
