|
Sensitization
Campaign at Namrup
|
|
|
| A
REPORT:- |
3rd Sensitization Campaign
at Namrup w.e.f
29th June 2002 to 3rd July 2002
The 3rd Sensitization campaign of Project Aashwas was held in
a cluster villages under Namru sub-division of Dibrugarh District
from 29/06/2002 to 3/07/2002.
The
Campaign incorporated the following Villages
-
i) Ghinaigaon
-
ii) Namrup (P.B) (Old market)
- iii)
Namrup (MP) (Milanpur)
- iv)
Kawaimarigaon
-
v) Nigamgaon
-
vi) Renganibam gaon
- vii)
Borkheromia gaon.
The
villages mentioned above have been traditionally regarded to be
strong holds of ULFA militants. The people in all these villages
have been living a life of terror. The children are quite traumatized.
Distrust, fear inter-community tension movement of extremists
and action of the state have caused a serious breach in social
life in general causing irreparable damage for the village children
mentally, educationally and socially.
The
campaign has started on 29th June,2002 with a briefing session
by the Aashwas team with the important persons of 7 ( Seven) villages
and a group of 43 boys. The local groups of volunteers donning
while 'T'-shirts were dispatched to the each house-holds of the
7 villages with a questionnaire. The questionnaire was on health,
access to medical facility of children concern for children etc.
On
the 2nd day one workshops was organized at Namrup High School(Purana
Namrup). In these workshops Dr. (Mrs) Anjuman Alam Resident surgeon
(O & G) , Dr. Dipak Baruah, Dr. Arabinda L. Baruah and Dr. Mun
Mun Gohain P.G., Resident ( O & G) had interacted with women of
all the 7 villages on issues like mother and childcare, Health
and hygeine. The enthusiasm of village women could be gauged from
the questions they asked the experts on rearing of children and
other issues. Street-plays on issues on health and hygeine were
also performed. Shri H.K.Deka, IPS, Director General of Police
& Chairman Project Aashwas also attended in the medical campaign.
On
the 3rd day of the campaign an inter School elocution/ debate
and quiz competition in Assamese were held at Namrup High School
premises where participants vigorously defended the cause of peace.
There was also a children sport and games for all the 7 villages
were arranged at the Namrup High School field. Five a side football
event had drawn lots of public response. The volley ball competition
for both boys and girls of the villages was also a great success.
On
the same day noted cinema artist Mr. Nipan Goswami , Deputy Commissioner,
Dibrugarh, Deputy Inspector General of Police (MPC) & Coordinator
Project Aashwas, Superintendent of Police also attended the campaign.
While entertaining the audience with their participation and histrionics,
they appealed to the villagers to treat their children as the
central issue in their lives. They also appealed the audience
not to do anything that can hamper the peace process. The dignitaries
also distributed prizes and certificates to the winners team of
elocution, debate, quiz competition and volley ball, football
teams.
On the 4th day of the campaign was the day of education assessment
of the 7 villages. Several teams of educated youths had attended
all the Schools of 7 villages and noted down their observation
in a set of questionnaires provided to them. The observations
were primarily on the following.
- School
discipline
- Teachers
commitment
- Commitment
of the student.
-
Dropout rates.
- Building
and infrastructure.
On
the same day a joint session with the victim families of Dibrugarh
district was held at Namrup Hindustan Fertilizer corporation Guest
House.
The
resource persons who interacted with the victim families are following
:
-
(i) Dr. Pranit Choudhury : Head Psychiatry Department, Assam
Medical College, Dibrugarh.
-
(ii) Dr. Kandarpa Deka, Registrar, Dibrugarh University .
- (iii)
Mr. Phanindra Kumar Deb Choudhury, noted litterature.
-
(iv) Smti Archana Mahanta famous singer of Assam.
- (v)
Mr. Khagen Mahanta famous singer of Assam. The session has
been a great learning experience for all who attended. The
victim families narrated the ghastly incidents and the subsequent
trauma faced by the children. Dr.Pranit Choudhury, Psychiatrist
examined the cases and offered to render free psychiatric
treatment/ counselling to most of the children of such families
and arrangement was made accordingly. Mr. Deb Choudhury, respected
columnist also offered to take up one family to guide the
children for future education. Widows of police and extremists
exchanged sympathy and solidarity and broke down emotionally
during the session establishing the fact that the language
of tears for all is similar and that it is futitle to indulge
in killing & violence.
On the same day evening , noted artist Mr. Khagen Mahanta, Mrs
Archana Mahanta and other dignitaries had attended the campaign
where they delivered lectures and emotionally appealed to the
gathering to embark on a new path of non-violence and work-culture.
Dr. Pranit Choudhury ,Psychiatrist interacted with the school
teachers and parents and analysed child psychology and correct
methods of imparting education to the children for their moral,
physical and mental upliftment.
The
last day was the day of Peace campaign. More than 300 youths of
7 villages took out a procession in bi-cycle covering of all the
7 villages calling upon people to usher in peace and denounce
violence. The procession was accompanied by noted artists Mr.
Pranjal Saikia and Mrs Setana Das and one group of artists from
Namrup who had performed sheet plays and emotionally appealed
to the gathering to embark a new path of non violence.
On the same day evening people of all the villages gathered in
the closing function where a stock of all the days of campaign
. Smti Setana Das & Shri Pranjal Saikia spoke eloquently in the
function on need for peace. The campaign was formally declared
over by Smti Pranati Phukon, Hon'ble Minister of State for Culture
and a local Member of Legislative Assembly from Namrup.
|
|
Write
to us your valuable suggestions on AASHWAS
Chief
Editor -
Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, IPS
Site
designed by Subhendu Sinha,
Assam
Police, Guwahati,
©
Project AASHWAS
|
