Survivors of Muzaffarnagar Violence at Risk of Eviction
Urgent Call Alert: Victims of Muzaffarnagar Communal Violence are at Imminent Risk of Eviction
People living in the 6 Camps, set up in post-Communal Violence in Muzaffarnagar (UP) are at imminent risk of forced eviction.
Background
There are around 22 camps across the both districts Shamli and Muzaffarnagar. In Tehsil Kairana, district shamli, the following are the camps Malakpur, Dabheri khurd, Noorpur Khurgaan, Sunheti and Barnawi in which around 250 families are living on forest department land in a pathetic condition. Most of them are from Soram village of Muzaffarnagar, Pura Mahadevi village Meerut, chakroli village Badaut, kutba and kutbi villages of Muzaffaranagar, Bitawda of Muzaffarnagar, Bhaju village of shamli, bhora village of Muzaffarnagar, Soop village of baghpat.
Administration believes that these people are staying in camps in greed of 5 lac compensation (govt provided this compensation to affected persons from nine villages). Also, the administration says that these people are not victim of riot so bringing them into the purview of compensation does not make any sense. Hence SDM kairana and forest department officers gave them ultimatum to vacate the land (six camps mentioned above) within 72 hours on December 6th, 2014.
On the contrary, the activist working on the ground who visited these camps and interacted with camps dwellers in this regard, report that the camp residents said “Hame Paiso Ka Koi Lalach Nhi Hai, Hum To Sirf Apna Ghar Chahte Hai” when they asked them why they do not want to return their villages, they added “Kis Muh Se Jaye Ab Wapas, Ye To Hamari Izzat Ka Sawal Hai”(They are adamant because if they go back, they face harassment by the Jat villagers). In addition to this, they have not been called back by their village Pradhan nor administration ensured security to them after the incident happened so that they could have gathered the strength to go back. They fled from their villages due to fear of violence but do not want to return as it is the matter of their self-esteem, and respect. Their only demand from the administration is to relocate them to a place they can call their own.
Please call following authorities, asking them to:
1. Stop Eviction Immediately,
2. Provide proper rehabilitation, and
3. Ensure that the victims are not harassed.
For more details, please contact:
Akram Akhtar : 09897974647
Please circulate this alert widely.