The Hindu : Volunteers to provide relief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 28, 2002

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Volunteers to provide relief

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 27. Ordinary people and victims of violence are trying to fill the huge gap created by the Gujarat Government's reluctance to provide proper relief and rehabilitation to the survivors of the carnage in the State.

Volunteers, brought together by Aman Samudaya, an initiative launched by over 30 NGOs and development agencies, including the Action Aid Eklavya Foundation, the St. Xavier's Social Service Society and Oxfam India, are working in relief camps to help people pick up pieces of their lives and get justice.

The volunteers, called `Aman Pathiks', are trained to counsel people in distress, to handle compensation cases and redressal for women who have suffered violence. The Aman Pathiks, who are from all religious communities, work in groups of two or four and are responsible for between 40 and 80 families most affected by the violence. There are about 200 victims of violence who have volunteered.

The volunteers will assist victims register FIRs, prepare death certificates and help locate and identify missing family members.

The Aman Pathiks have received training in counselling from the National Institute for Mental Health and Science in Bangalore. There will also be a special training programme for those Aman Pathiks who will be working with children.

Aman Samudaya says there is a need to focus on the single parent households headed by women who have not only to look after their children but also earn a living, as also on children who are orphaned and who are disabled.

With the monsoon expected in a matter of weeks Aman Samudaya is concerned about the worsening conditions in the camps.

Action Aid's country director, Harsh Mander, said reports that camps were being disbanded had created a mood of uncertainty and panic.

Once out of the camps the victims could lose out on compensation, registering cases and pursuing justice.

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