| |
Insurgency,
kidnapping and ethnic violence started in Tripura in 1980
with a big massacre in Mandai village about 25 km. away
from the State capital, Agartala. Since then, sporadic
events of kidnapping, looting, killing and mass taxation
by insurgent groups, in some areas, have been going on
unabated. In January 1997, in Khowai, a subdivision of
West Tripura district, the burning of houses and mass
killing of non-tribals made the situation volatile again.
The number of internal refugees, from both tribal and
non-tribal communities, have increased. The non-tribals
became refugees because of deaths of their family
members, destruction of houses and belongings. The
tribals from mixed areas became refugees out of fear,
insecurity and mistrust of the non-tribal community.
The State Government set up 10 refugee camps for
non-tribal refugees and two for tribal refugees in Khowai
sub-division. But the situation became very charged when
tribal insurgents attacked non-tribal refugee camps in
Gaurango Tilla in broad daylight (10.30 a.m.) on 16th
February 1997. This resulted in the killing of 40 people
and injuring of many more. VHAT
in the Picture
Even before
the 16th February event, members and staff of the
Voluntary Health Association of Tripura (VHAT) had
started collecting materials (medicine, old garments,
contributions etc.) from the urban people for
distribution among refugees. Because of the 24 hour
curfew they could not go to Khowai on 17th February.
After arranging curfew passes, the first VHAT team, under
the leadership of Dr. D.K. Ray, President, VHAT, rushed
to the camps on 18th February, 1997, with medicines,
garments, utensils, etc. The relief work is going on
since then in all camps.
Many voluntary organisations and large number of
individuals came forward to help VHAT in the relief work.
They contributed voluntary labour, materials and money.
Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) gave
financial help for this relief work. More than Rs. 30
thousand worth of medicines, clothes and utensils have so
far been distributed.
There is outbreak of gastroenteritis in the camps at
present. The Government medicare service is quite
insufficient. Government provides Rs. 6/- per day per
head (or food costing the same amount), to the inmates of
the camps which is also not adequate for food and other
necessary materials.
Some of the families, whose houses were not burnt, went
back to their villages. But the families which lost their
belongings perhaps would stay on, in the relief camps,
for longer periods. The insurgency and the ethnic
violence is a burning problem in Tripura today. The root
causes of this insurgency are:
- Over migration from
across the boarder. The percentage of indigenous
tribals has been reduced to 30% against 50% in
1951. The population growth rate is very high.
The total population in 1991 was 27 lakh in this
small hilly State with about 10,500 sq. km.
Constant migration from Bangladesh is adding to
the problem.
- Fear of the tribals
getting exterminated from the State.
- Massive deforestation
with introduction of monoculture like rubber and
teak, leading to eviction of the forest-dependent
tribals from their lands.
- In the name of
development, thousands of acres of land had been
donated by government to migrant communities.
This created acute crisis in the economy of the
tribals.
- The migrated
non-tribal community is also suffering from
extreme poverty, unemployment, loss of life and
uncertainty of life due to insurgency.
[index]
|
