Skip to content Skip to navigation

Support Relief Efforts in Manipur

By AT News |

Here's an appeal for donations for the relief effort currently being undertaken by  by Rural Women Upiftment Society, Manipur.

Online donations can be made to the organisation through at https://milaap.org/fundraisers/support-rural-women-upliftment-society .


Dear friends,

The devastating ethnic violence and arson that unfolded in Manipur since May 3rd, 2023, have left a trail of destruction, claiming the lives of over 100 people, injuring more than 5,000, and displacing an estimated 70,000 individuals. Numerous homes, villages, and churches have been reduced to ashes, leaving families without shelter or land to return to. The situation is dire and urgent assistance is needed. The Rural Women Upliftment Society (RWUS) has been actively engaged in relief work from the very onset, providing essential aid such as dry rations, medicines, mosquito nets, and clothing to 69 camps. Our efforts have particularly focused on the most vulnerable, including pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children. However, the scale of the crisis demands more extensive support.

The displaced families in camps are currently being managed and supported by local CSOs/CBOs and NGOs. Initially, the local communities rallied together, contributing clothes, firewood, rice, and vegetables. However, as the situation worsens, even those less affected are struggling to earn a living. The camps suffer from acute water shortages, unsanitary living conditions, and grave health concerns, especially for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and the elderly. Urgent requirements include food, medicine and hygiene kits, clean drinking water, undergarments, mosquito nets, mattresses, utensils, and clothing.

RWUS is a co-founder of Women in Governance (WinG), a network of women operating across districts in Manipur and at the national level through WinG-India. Our organization firmly believes in equal distribution and justice for all. With 15 years of experience in humanitarian aid during conflict situations, we are equipped to navigate the challenges posed by this crisis. We have also received training in Local Capacity for Peace (LCP) in collaboration with esteemed organizations like Action Aid and Sphere India for our humanitarian efforts.

To date (as of May 27th, 2023), our relief efforts have reached 1,604 internally displaced persons, including 4,566 females, 3,464 males, 1,750 children, 364 elderly individuals, 104 pregnant women, and 320 lactating mothers. The assistance we have provided includes essential items such as food, sanitary napkins, medicines, and more.

However, we cannot address this immense crisis alone. We earnestly appeal to your generosity and empathy to support our cause. Your donation, no matter the amount, will make a significant difference in alleviating the suffering of those affected by this tragedy. Together, we can provide much-needed relief, restore hope, and rebuild the shattered lives of the displaced families in Manipur.

Please join us in this critical mission by contributing to our relief efforts today. Your support will bring solace and help us provide the necessary aid to those who need it most. Thank you for your compassion and for standing in solidarity with the people of Manipur during these trying times.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Mary Beth Sanate
Secretary
Rural Women Upliftment Society (RWUS)
www.rwus.org

Author info

AT News's picture

Assam Times Staff. editor@assamtimes.org

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Shivsagar's Naga Village Celebrates Aoling Festival with Joy and Tradition

The Aoling festival, the traditional New Year celebration of the Ao Naga tribe, has brought vibrant energy to the Naga village of Hahchar in Shivsagar. The villagers, whose ancestors settled here during the reign of Ahom King Gadadhar Singha in 1775, continue to preserve their rich cultural heritage with great enthusiasm. The Aoling festival, observed annually in the first week of April, marks the arrival of spring and invokes blessings for a prosperous agricultural season. The festivities span several days, filled with rituals, communal feasts, and cultural performances. In the first three days, villagers engage in traditional activities such as weaving ethnic attire, collecting...

Assam Records Lowest Life Expectancy in India, Experts Advocate for Health Education Reforms

Assam has emerged as the state with the lowest life expectancy in India, averaging just 66 years, according to recent data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5). This figure not only falls below the national average of approximately 69 years but also trails behind other Northeastern states, with neighboring Nagaland boasting a life expectancy exceeding 75 years. Health experts attribute Assam's lagging life expectancy to a combination of factors, including air pollution, poor dietary habits, high blood pressure, smoking, and environmental hazards. Dr. Rahul Mehra, UNESCO Chair Representative for Global Health and Education, emphasized the urgency of integrating health education...

Memorial Meeting Held in Nazira to Honor Educationist Aboni Borthakur

Nazira paid tribute to the late Aboni Borthakur, a distinguished educationist and former Principal of Nazira College, with a memorial meeting held on Sunday. The event, organized at the Nazira M.C. Club, was presided over by Atul Gogoi, a former Principal of another college. The gathering saw the presence of several notable figures, including retired professor Dr. Provat Borah, renowned writer Juri Borah Borgohain, Nazira MLA Debabrata Saikia, and CPI leader Kanak Gogoi, among others. The speakers reflected on Borthakur’s contributions to education and society, celebrating his legacy as a thinker and academician. A highlight of the meeting was the unveiling of a memorial book that...

Guwahati’s Historic Mahafezkhana Demolished, Sparking Outrage Over Heritage Loss

The demolition of Mahafezkhana, Assam’s oldest surviving concrete structure and a vital piece of Northeast India’s architectural heritage, has triggered widespread outrage. Built between 1855 and 1865, the 160-year-old building—once a custodian of crucial land records during British colonial rule—was razed by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) as part of a park extension and Brahmaputra riverfront beautification project, according to reports published on Sunday. Senior journalist Mrinal Talukdar expressed his dismay on X, describing the demolition as “not just demolition—this is desecration.” In a series of posts, including one at 2:30 AM IST on March 30 (Post ID:...

Numaligarh Refinery Pollutes Dhansiri River, Threatens Ecosystem: Janani Live Reports

The Dhansiri River, a vital tributary of the Brahmaputra, is facing severe pollution due to industrial discharge from the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), as reported by Janani Live, a local news portal from Golaghat. The contamination has raised alarms among environmentalists and local communities dependent on the river for irrigation and drinking water. Growing Pollution Crisis:According to Janani Live, untreated effluents from the refinery have been flowing into the Dhansiri, increasing chemical toxicity and degrading water quality. The river, which originates in Nagaland and flows through Golaghat and Dimapur, is already burdened by urban sewage, agricultural runoff, and sand...

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi Demands PM Modi Probe ₹70 Crore Assam Apex Bank Scandal

Congress MP and Lok Sabha Deputy Opposition Leader Gaurav Gogoi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding an investigation into alleged financial irregularities worth approximately ₹70 crore at the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank. According to Gogoi, the scandal involves an outsider businessman, Rajesh Bajaj, who is accused of misappropriating around ₹20 crore, along with an additional ₹50 crore irregularities under the guise of a tender for a data storage system. Gogoi has urged the Prime Minister to order an independent probe into the matter. In a post on his official X handle, Gogoi stated, “I have written a letter to Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji regarding the...

Assam Minister Faces Backlash for Using Derogatory Term Toward Scheduled Castes

Assam Minister Ranjit Das has sparked outrage after allegedly using a caste-based slur during an election campaign, prompting protests and a police complaint. The controversy erupted while Das, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, was campaigning for a ruling coalition candidate in the 30-Bamunigaon constituency of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council on March 18. During a public speech, he referenced India’s four main social groups—"the poor, women, farmers, and youth"—but also used a derogatory word for Scheduled Castes in Assam. The All Assam Scheduled Caste Youth Students’ Union filed a complaint against Das at Dispur Police Station under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes...

Tensions Rise in Sonapur Over Proposed Land Handover to Air Force

A massive protest erupted today in Sonapur, near Guwahati, as thousands of tribal people gathered to oppose the proposed transfer of vast tracts of land to the Indian Air Force. The demonstration, held at the Sonapur Mini Stadium on Friday, March 28, saw local tribal communities voicing their outrage against what they perceive as an encroachment on their ancestral lands, with slogans such as "We will give our blood, not our land" and "Down with Digaru Air Force" resonating through the air. The unrest stems from the state government's alleged plan to hand over a significant portion of land in Digaru, close to Sonapur, to the Air Force. This move has sparked widespread anger among the...

Senior Journalist Dilowar Hussain Majumdar Granted Bail in Second Case

 The Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court of Kamrup Metropolitan District has granted bail to senior journalist Dilowar Hussain Majumdar in his second case. Following interrogation and searches starting on March 27, Majumdar was produced in court on Friday and released on a bond of 20,000 rupees. The decision came after his advocate, Angshuman Bora, presented arguments in his favor. Police conducted searches at Majumdar’s residence and business establishments, seizing two dumpers during the operation. In a related case involving the managing director of Apex Bank, the police advocate requested the addition of extra charges, but the court rejected the plea. Due to a delay in submitting...

PCI Slams Assam CM for Questioning Journalist Authenticity in Re-Arrest Case

The Press Club of India (PCI) on Friday sharply criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for attempting to define who qualifies as a “legitimate” journalist, following the re-arrest of senior digital media journalist Dilawar Hussain Mozumder by Assam Police on March 27 evening. Mozumder, assistant general secretary of the Guwahati Press Club (GPC), was detained hours after his bail release in a case involving alleged theft of bank documents while covering a protest tied to a recruitment scam. The PCI demanded Mozumder’s immediate release, accusing the state of undermining press freedom. The PCI’s statement highlighted Sarma’s remarks as a distraction from the core issue—...