Manipur women face trauma in relief camps

0ver a year after the horrific violence broke out in Manipur, it is disheartening that the stories of women who suffered in this and who were displaced literally overnight from their homes and lost their loved ones, have now become just a footnote to the bigger story of politics.

Many of the women who had to flee are still in relief camps with no prospect of return as their homes have either been burnt down or their villages have been deserted. Now, the number of camps has decreased as many buildings like schools which were commandeered for the purpose have become operational again for their original work. NGOs working in the region say women report being given food rations by the state in May, June and July last year, but thereafter it ceased and the gap was filled somewhat imperfectly by civil society groups and NGOs. The rations are still largely just rice and dal, not the nutritious food required especially by lactating mothers, pregnant women, or adolescent girls.

In the bitter winter, even the resources pooled together by NGOs could not provide more than one blanket per family or indeed the items required for sanitation. In many camps, according to Marybeth, women's aid worker, Rural Women Upliftment, there are 200 women to one toilet in most camps and often only open spaces for bathrooms. Those in their menstrual cycles spoke to her of their acute discomfort and health issues due to this.