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Breaking Barriers |
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Breaking Barriers |
| MUMBAI Reparation yes, but drop by drop N ine months after the formation of the Citizen’s Watchdog Committee (CWC) following the public hearing of survivors of the Mumbai riots (December 1992-January 1993) organised by Communalism Combat on September 24, 2000 (see CC, October 2000 and January 2000), three of the forty-seven victim-survivors who were identified as having been denied reparation because their kith and kin were declared in the ‘dead but missing’ category have finally been given their compensation amount. Two others live outside Maharashtra have been intimated that their compensation amount is due but have still to supply some documents to satisfy the bureaucracy that they may actually receive it! A total list of about 173 victim-survivors fall under this category as their lost relatives suffered brutal violence but who’s bodies disappeared or were made to disappear: they were either taken away by rioters or the police and thereafter the case registered under ‘dead but missing’ category.Meanwhile in a warm gesture, the Don Bosco School Matunga, spontaneously made a contribution of Rs. 2,00,000 to the CWC towards the educational fees for two years of about 55 child survivors of the violence. At a small function held at the school on May 1, 2001, the amount was handed over to the CWC by the Rector of the Don Bosco school. Each year for the past five years, this school has been using it’s innovative concept of a "Care and Share Christmas Panorama’ to actually spend time, in the midst of the annual festivities to address issues of natural or man-made traumas and make contributions from student’s and their parents. All Don Bosco schools from the western part of the country collected a substantive amount towards contribution towards re-building of schools in cyclone ravaged Orissa and the child survivors of the Bombay riots received attention as well. Due to this gesture by a city school, about 55 child survivors will be able to enjoy at least two years of school tuition by which time it is to be hoped that the National Foundation for Communal Harmony will broaden it’s reach and provide school tuition fees to more children than it is currently doing. The NFCH has, in past months taken a sharper interest in the matter after the CWC alerted it to the sudden non-payment of dues to over 200 children who had been receiving Rs. 450 per month as tuition amount which had inexplicably been discontinued over the past year. Secretary to the NFCH, S.K.Agnihotri paid a visit to Mumbai and visited the offices of many non governmental bodies including the CWC to gather independent feedback on the payment of dues to children. It is to be hoped that this will compel the local administration to fulfil it’s role and complete the task of payment of reparation and compensation swiftly. Meanwhile, on the question of pushing the government for punishment of the guilty, the CWC is yet to make headway. The CWC can be contacted at [email protected]
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