From Daniel Kamei
TAMENGLONG, Apr 6 : As many as 257 Zeme community members from NC Hills district of Assam are still camping at Tousem sub-division of Tamenglong district at relief camps and at their relatives till today. The suffering refugees are mostly students below the age of 12 years and their mothers. The total number of the refugees keeps changing day to day.
Out of 257 refugees 183 are at Mandeu relief camp, 58 at Tousem HQs relief camp, 54 at Phoklong, 9 refugees at Katangnam and Tousem Khullen and 16 refugees at Njunkok as recorded on April 2 and 3.
For all these refugees apart from NGOs, the Manipur state government, particularly the district administration of Tamenglong, has spent a sum of Rs. 3 lakhs.
Meanwhile, a woman from Boureneu at a relief camp disclosed to IFP that now was the time for sowing of seeds in the field. “If we do not do so in time what will we eat and feed our children? More over, every child is away from home, they are not going to schools. Where is our future,” she asked with her tears running down her cheeks adding, “We are living from hand to mouth.”
While speaking to IFP a woman named Eheuneleu from Asalu village of NC hills at Mandeu relief camp said that though no one was killed at the village, the DHD (J) issued quit notice to vacate the village and they came to Tousem sub-division for shelter. “Our ration line was cut off, Cacharis did not sell any commodities to Zeme people,” she said. “Only the weak persons are coming here for shelter but all the men and youths are guarding our houses and the villages,” she added.
In the meantime, Jacintha Lazarus, deputy commissioner of Tamenglong along with SDO Tousem and doctors and the Zeliangrong apex body headed by Ningtangpou Kamei, president of Zeliangrong Baudi Assam, Manipur and Nagaland along with Zeliangrong Baudi Tamenglong, Zeliangrong Baudi Jiri, Zeliangrong Pui (women) Baudi and Zeliangrong Students Union Manipur visited the Zeme refugees from Assam state at Tousem sub-division of Tamenglong on April 2 and 3.
During her first visit to her sub-division the deputy commissioner also inspected the various government offices at Tousem where she found all the government offices including the PHC were defunct. There was no SDO office, no beds for the sick, no tables and chairs at the PHC Tousem HQs.
The sub divisional people are very happy to see the first lady deputy commissioner. Welcome gates were constructed, school students sung the welcome song and welcome programme like social night and gifts were presented to her. And many memorandums were also served to her to which the DC Tamenglong assured help.
In the meantime, while interacting with Pouheu and Samsadinbe of Zeme Council Halflong members they disclosed that on February 11, 2009 the DHD(J) killed one Haideurangbe Newme, son of Hairanglungbe of Boureneu (Chotoninglo) village of NC hills and shot at and severely injured Kidanlungbe Newme, son of Haigonglungbe.
Again on March 19 DHD(J) cadres killed two innocents and shot and injured two from Tungjepungua village of NC hills. Again on March 23 the DHD (J) cadres killed two and injured others at Boureneu village, which turned the situation miserable for the Zeme community, they said.
They also disclosed that another around 1000 Zeme people were camping at Mohur town in NC hills.
The situation turned worse on March 23 when around 90 Dimasa people tried to attack the Haiwangbram village under Mahur police station. Luckily, the Indian army saved the situation, they said.
While strongly condemning the barbaric act of DHD(J) the Zeme Council Halflong, Zeliangrong Baudi Halflong and Zeme Mathai Council also appealed to the government of India to give proper security for protection at the remote village of NC hills of Assam and also demanded ex-gratia for the deceased and aid for the injured persons at the earliest.