Humanitarian crisis in Assam, like a tsunami, says priest

(July 25, 2012)"The humanitarian crisis in Assam State in North-East India is on the scale of a tsunami" a tribal Catholic priest told AsiaNews , speaking on condition of anonymity, about the violence that has erupted between Bodo tribals and Muslim settlers in the districts of Kokrajhar and Chirang. According to authorities, the death toll now stands at 32, with 170 thousand people who have fled their homes. Government and police have set up refugee camps to house the fleeing people and treat the wounded. The priest who is an ethnic Bodo, is in the town of Kokrajhar to provide support and assistance to both communities. He said that the reality of things is much worse than what has been shown by the local media. Televisions depict scenes of destruction, where the only victims are Muslims, but this is nothing compared to what the tribals are experiencing. Explaining that the Bodo tribals are the indigenous people of these areas of Assam, he said that today, however, there is an imbalance between the indigenous population and Muslims. The tribals have become a minority as the Muslims have occupied their lands, relegating the Bodo tribes to conditions of poverty and marginalization. As a result, he said about 70% of tribal families no longer have any land, although 90% of this population survive from agriculture. He said they have lost everything - houses, land, farms and crops, all of which has been looted or destroyed by Muslim migrants. It's like this everywhere, even in areas where Muslims are a minority, he added. In this dramatic situation, said the priest , the Catholic Church has set up camps, where we welcome everyone, Muslims and tribals. We hope to reach as many people as possible, and to be able to build bridges of peace and understanding, the priest added.