Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May17 2009:
The Zeliangrong refugees, who were rendered homeless by the Dimasa militants in Assam's NC Hills and are now camping at makeshift relief camps run by the All Manipur NGOs Forum in Tousem subdivision, have been reportedly facing problems at their respective relief camps. Talking to reporters, the president of the All Manipur NGOs Forum, Dr K Paochunbou said that around 144 refugees were camped at Tousem subdivision, 153 refugees at Mandiu village relief camp, and 35 people have been camped at Aben village in Tousem subdivision of Tamenglong district.
Paochunbou alleged that the Dimasa militants have ransacked the houses of the Zeliangrong people in Assam's Haflong area in army camouflage.
The militants demanded the villagers to serve them with chicken by saying that they were coming to serve the people.
But after having treated with all their demands, the villagers were killed mercilessly.
Some of them were killed right in front of their wives and children, Paochunbou maintained.
So far 35 Zeliangrong people have been killed while two remain traceless since they were abducted by the Dimasa militants in Haflong area of Assam, Paochunbou said.
He further said that the plight of the refugees who left their homes has been added at their makeshift relief camps in Tamenglong district in the absence of regular food supply and diseases spreading
around them.
Paochunbou pointed out that most of the refugees in the camps suffer from small pox and scabies, some in serious condition.
He said the NGOs forum had distributed various relief materials in cash and kinds but the contribution was too meager to meet their needs while drawing the attention of the concerned individuals and organisations.
He lamented that no help has come from the government till now while also calling the mind of the local MLA.
Paochunbou also appeals the Health Minister to arrange medical facility for the refugees.