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  • 5 Oct 2012

PHF awards emergency grant to help victims of communal violence in Assam

The PHF India programme has awarded an emergency grant to Northeast Research and Social Work Networking (NERSWN) to respond to communal violence in parts of Assam in July this year.

The Bodoland region, in the northeast of India, has seen frequent communal clashes during the past two decades. In 1991, ’96, ’98 and 2008, there were clashes between tribal Bodo militants and Muslims in the Chirang district.

The most recent clashes left approximately 300,000 people homeless and almost 100 people dead.

NERSWN, which has been funded by the Foundation for other work, appealed to PHF for support to help manage a large influx of people to relief camps, and to facilitate their return home. The organisation is a group of young Bodos that has worked on community welfare in Kokrajhar, a district of Assam, since 2004. It has been working towards ensuring social justice and equity, with special emphasis on women and different marginalised communities, including tribal and indigenous peoples. NERSWN’s work was severely affected by the recent violence.

The Foundation awarded an emergency grant of Rs 745,800 (£8,775) towards relief work in 15 relief camps in Kokrajhar. The grant has enabled NERSWN to reach approximately 25,227 people, of which 6,244 are children, in the camps.

Apart from distributing essential supplies including toiletries and food, NERSWN has tried to create a more positive atmosphere through relief materials at the camps, including toys and games for children and some work for the adults to do. The organisation has taken the opportunity to facilitate dialogue between people at the camps about what could be a positive future for them together. The funding is also being used to help people return home and, where necessary, providing them with support to rebuild their houses and lives.

PHF had already been supporting NERSWN to influence the delivery of healthcare services in Kokrajhar, particularly for mental health, with three grants totalling £55,377 (Rs.4,271,870) beginning in April 2010 and continuing through to March 2014.

The Foundation’s work with the organisation over the next few years is likely to see a change. While health and mental health services will continue to be an important area of work, it will have to be preceded by some more pressing work in creating a peaceful and comfortable environment, rebuilding and creating trust between communities.