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Rapid Response Fund Payment Request No. 1/2015
Funds Sent To: United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI) / Lutheran World Service Trust, India (LWSIT) / Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA)
Amount Sent: US$ 88,229
Date: 9 January 2015
Details of Response
Emergency: Assam Ethnic Violence
Date of Emergency: 23 December 2014
ACT Requesting Members: UELCI, LWSIT, CASA
NARRATIVE SUMMARY
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in Assam state of India warned of retaliation when the state police launched an operation against them on 21 December 2014 which resulted in the death of two of their members. The NDFB attacked on 23 December 2014 in three districts of Assam – Kokrajhar and Sonitpur which resulted in the deaths of 85 people (73 Adivasis and 12 others). The ethnic violence has resulted in the displacement of 72, 675 people who are sheltering in 61 relief camps. Most of the displaced are women and children belonging to the tribal communities in Kokrajhar, Sonitpur, Chirag, Baksa, Bongagaon and Udalguri. In retaliation, three Bodo people in a village near Behali in Sonitpur district were killed. Both communities have burned houses and damaged properties in different parts of the state.
Fresh violence erupted again in Assam in the bordering districts of Kokrajhar (Bhutan border) and Sonitpur (Arunachal Pradesh border) on 26 December.
Initially the local administration was not able to control the situation as the attacks were taking place in the villages inside forest areas which are not easily accessible. Additional military and paramilitary forces have been deployed to take control over the situation.
ACTIONS TO DATE & EMERGENCY NEEDS
Paramilitary forces have been deployed to the conflict affected areas in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Sonitpur districts of Assam. The Home Minister along with Minister of State for Home Affairs and the Tribal Affairs Minister visited the state and met the Assam Chief Minister and other officials on 24 December to assess the situation and order necessary stringent measures against the NDFB groups instigating the violence.
Conflict families sheltering in various relief camps are receiving some food materials from authorities however, there remain a lot of unmet needs including clothing, shelter materials, non-food items and livelihood restoration. Psychosocial counseling is another priority among the people affected by ethnic conflict.
Support from the government is not sufficient and not reaching all the affected and needy people. ACT India Forum members, UELCI, LWSIT and CASA are operational in the affected areas and well known and well placed to provide timely and appropriate assistance to the families most affected by the violence.
UELCI member churches (Bongaigaon and Gramhampur Diocese) and Inter-Churches Peace Mission (ICPM) field workers in Kokrajhar district have received urgent requests for assistance. Following a rapid assessment, it was decided to extend assistance to 1,300 families in desperate need of non-food items and also provide peace building and reconciliation sessions in Kokrajhar district.
LWSIT is planning to provide assistance to those who have taken shelter in the relief camps or are remaining in their homes without adequate basic amenities. LWSIT has already initiated a rapid assessment by deploying their field team based in Kokrajhar district and also involving the village development committee (VDC) which was formed and strengthened by an ongoing LWSIT project.
CASA took part in a joint assessment carried out by the Inter Agency Group, Assam of which CASA is a member. Staff are currently carrying out a survey with church leaders from the Church of Northern India, along with Baptists, Lutherans and Catholic Church representatives to assess needs. Meanwhile CASA staff are also attending various meetings organized by the State Government and NGOs for better coordination.
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