Disease, poverty in India’s tribal camps

At least 39 children have died in the last month of malaria and diarrhoea in a refugee camp in Tripura.

The camp, where Reang tribals took shelter after being driven out from Mizoram has been around since 1997. Neither Mizoram nor Tripura wanted them. Since then they’ve been living in camps, which are meant to be temporary shelters.

However, with no one willing to accept them, these temporary homes became permanent. Thirty five thousand Reangs are today living on the brink of starvation and living a life of absolute poverty.

There’s nothing available for them in the camp, no food, jobs or health care, except the shadow of starvation.

At least, 19 women have died in one year alone and last month, 39 children, who were severely malnourished, lost their lives to malaria and diarrhoea.

A surprise visit by the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights stumbled upon this camp.

“There are more than two lakh people in Assam, who are living in these permanently temporary camps, again without access to nutrition, security, sanitation. Children have scabies, pneumonia, malaria and dengue,” said Shantha Sinha, chairperson, NCPCR.

“These deaths occurred not among 35,000 people but among 1,600 household, because there is no healthcare here. This is something not acceptable,” she added.

The team visited six refugee camps in the state, after receiving a letter that stated that 7,000 children had not been included in ration cards and were battling severe malnutrition.

NCPCR has decided to recommend setting up of a nodal officer to monitor these camps. Since all ration comes from the Home Ministry, members will also ask for schools and healthcare facilities to be set up.

Source: NDTv

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