[Reader-list] Call for volunteers

[Jeebesh Bagchi]

Dear All,

Please pass on this appeal. Maybe someone on this can move into Ahmedabad and 
post from there. 

best
Jeebesh
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From: majlis [mailto:majlis at vsnl.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 06, 20026:58 PM

Appeal for Volunteers & Funds to Set Up Short Term Centers 
in Relief Camps in Ahmedabad

The communal holocaust, which has ravaged Gujarat, has left in its wake 
colossal loss of life and property and displacement of people. While the 
number of dead and injured is at least countable, the number of missing 
people who have vanished without a trace is much larger. The relief dole 
promised by the government is a mere trickle. In most cases it adds insult to 
the injury. 

At the other level, the plea to punish the guilty has fallen on deaf ears. 
Even the minimum requirement of filing FIRs against the offenders has become 
a herculean task. A whole community is trying to cope with loss of dignity 
and self-respect. In addition, women are trying to cope with sexual 
violations and police brutalities. The few NGOs who have been struggling with 
the enormous task of recording statements, collecting data and registering 
FIRs are overworked and getting burnt out. 

To cope with this reality, Majlis, along with two grass root level groups in 
Ahmedabad, Sanchetana and Vikas Adhyayan Kendra, will co-ordinate support 
initiatives in three areas in Ahmedabad ? Gomtipur, Shah-e-Alam and Daria 
Khan. We will co-ordinate batches of ten volunteers to go to Ahmedabad for 
one week each, over a period of next two months. 

St. Xavier?s Institute in Ahmedabad has volunteered to provide accommodation. 
The host groups will arrange for a vehicle to take the volunteers from the 
hostel to camps and the volunteers will work along with the local activists 
in each area. The expenses to be incurred by the volunteers would be the 
train fare and food. For those volunteers who cannot afford, train fare and 
minimum daily expenses will be provided. 

The volunteers will be placed in one of the centers for the entire period and 
will be assisted by members of the local group. The work will be specified by 
the local group and would include recording statements of victims, filing 
FIRs, obtaining hospital reports, ensuring that the relief declared by the 
government reaches the recipients, making a list of missing persons and 
ensuring that the declared requirement for availing compensation is adhered 
and helping out with other legal initiatives. 

The working conditions are harsh, the heat is killing and coming face to face 
with human tragedy of such magnitude is emotionally draining. Knowledge of 
Hindi is essential and knowledge of Gujarati will be of great help. It is 
important to mention that a schedule for less than seven days will not be 
practical. The volunteers may contact us with personal details and the time 
frame during which they are available for this project at the earliest. 

E-mail: majlis at vsnl.com Telephone: (022) 6160252 Fax: 022-6148539

This appeal is also for funds for relief work and to sustain local 
initiatives. With the impending monsoon and the threat of closing down the 
relief camps, the displaced people are faced with even greater hardships. 
Hence time becomes a very important factor in this initiative. The donation 
for relief can be made by Money Orders, a/c payee cheques, or DDs to Majlis 
payable at Mumbai. 

Hope to hear from you soon. We shall appreciate if you could spread this 
message to the widest circle. 

Flavia Agnes / Veena Gowda

Majlis, A-2/4 Golden Valley, Kalina, Mumbai ? 400 098