DEALING WITH RIOTS: ACTIVITY UPDATE

                              DEALING WITH RIOTS: ACTIVITY UPDATE

THIS POST

concerns mainly with the experience of the team that went to kairana and other nearby areas affected by communal riots. To simplify the things, I will put it down point wise.

1.       THE TEAM: I was accompanied by my colleague Dr. Tabrez Alam and one undergraduate, abdul sattar(MBBS2012), from ALIGARH. WE reached KAIRANA in the morning of 14^th September and after a rest of half an hour, went straight to MADARSA ISHAATUL ISLAM where around 3000 refugees have taken shelter.

2.       THE TASK: WE organized

-a six hour long health checkup and free drug distribution camp on 14 September at madarsa ishaatul islam relief camp. 

-a four hour long health checkup and free drug distribution camp at the refugee camp near malakpur village on 15 September. (Four km drive from kairana town)

-the meeting of AMAN COMMITTEE, a civil society initiative by JAGRITI SEVA SANSTHAN, to open the closed channels of interfaith dialogue and communication.

-a discussion on the topic COMMUNAL TENSIONS: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?? Where both hindus and muslims spoke candidly about this sensitive issue.

-coordinated work activities with local people, NGOs, and individuals who are volunteering

         3.  THE EXPERIENCE: I have only one word to describe what happened: HORRIBLE!!! One patient reported to the OPD with a 2 hour old deep cut extending from back of the neck up to the shoulder, bleeding profusely. He was attacked when he was secretly fleeing his village fearing his life. Then there were numerous patients of blunt trauma (lathi attack) especially females. Many children presented with the history of burn. Almost everyone had a horrible story to tell. Some lost their loved ones, some escaped alone with the guilt of not being able to rescue their family members. Blood flowed freely as village after village came under the fire of communal tension. The most peculiar and disgusting feature that I noticed in the pattern of attack was that they did not spare anybody. Children, sick, elders, women. IN this sense it was a non-specific attack aiming to wipe out each and everybody that they perceived as OTHER.

            4. THE NEED: I am summarizing the needs of the refugees as briefly as possible owing to lack of time. Please note that these are based on my individual calculations and observations of the two camps that I visited. (Out of an estimated 40 camps accommodating 31, 000 people)

-FUNDS REQUIRED FOR LEGAL PROCESS.

-DOCUMENTATION OF DATA OF REFUGEES.

-MEDICAL HEALTH CARE which is far from satisfactory.

-IMPROVEMENT IN LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE CAMP. Like they are moving barefooted, sleeping on soil (and mud in rain) under open sky. They need cots, bedding, chappals, etc.

-REHABILITATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT.

In brief, there are so many ways in which help is needed. All of us can contribute in one way or the other.

To be continued……….