With bitter memories of life in relief camps, the displaced Adivasis and Bodos in this border settlement in Kokrajhar district of Assam are desperate to return to their villages. But, they want the government to ensure security to life and property.
“Having grown up in a relief camp at Bismuri after my family was displaced twice in 1996 and 1998, I know the consequences of staying on in make-shift shelters with bare necessities and without proper food. Epidemics, loss of loved ones in absence of medical care, a break in education…,” Mithun Murmu, an inmate of the Saralpara relief camp, listed the problems. “It is a depressing environment that I never want to face again. If the government provides full security, we want to return right now,” he told The Hindu.
Over 8,000 Adivasis from 26 villages in the Ultapani reserve forest area have taken shelter in relief camps after the December 23 attacks by militants of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit).
Habil Kindo agreed with Mr Murmu, but pointed out that the nearest police outpost, Bismuri, is located about 35 km from the relief camp, and most of their villages are 15-20 km from the outpost. “We have left the harvested paddy and our belongings at home. We are afraid to go back even to bring it to the relief camp. Who knows? The militants might attack us again. The government has not only left us to live a life of penury, it has also left us at the mercy of militants. It should deploy the army, set up permanent police pickets and enable us to return home at the earliest. We do not want to languish in the camp again,” he said.
Phungbini Khalkali and other inmates of the new Basbari relief camp under the Serfanguri police station, also no strangers to relief camps, are desperate to return home, but are worried about security.
A joint delegation of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) and the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA), led by their presidents Pramode Boro and Raphael Kujur, visited the Bodo and Adivasi relief camps on Monday. They appealed to the inmates not to believe rumour-mongers, who were out to destroy unity among the people of the two communities. Both leaders demanded that the government ensure adequate security for the displaced villagers to return home and enable Bodo and Adivasi students to continue the new academic session beginning in January.
