Jammu — ‘Land for Displaced People and Refugees’ ;They were made refugees in their own country

 By Daya Sagar
All most all people from about 12 to 14 villages of Chamb Distt Jammu were uprooted/ made to run for life in view of Pakistan attack in 1965 and thereafter people of about 47 villages of Chamb were in a way asked by Government of India to vacate their homes / lands rather abandon their rights on their own lands to the enemy in 1972 after Shimla agreement was signed by India with Pakistan as aftermath of 1971 Indio Pak war. How much life, socio-economic and physical damage these people have suffered has yet to be evaluated in a regular manner. Not even any voluntary as well as human rights organisation has so far ventured into composite loss/damage assessment till date. Government of India did address to the direct economic damages inflicted but there too some more was needed to be done.The issues as regards the land allotment to agricultural families and making good the less allotmentments by additional lands / cash compensations as well as some of the demands of the urban families have not been yet disposed to the satisfaction of these families by GOI/ State Government.
These families were made refugees in their own contrary in view of the policy decision of GOI and hence they deserved special rehabilitation , employment and education packages but no such steps were taken neither GOI nor J&K Government . Rather there existed all justification to bring them under backward class status because from 1947 to 1971 they lived in continuously disturbed conditions due to Pakistani violations of ceasefire along IB/LOC and in 1971 they had been made refugees under the policy of the Government. In view of lack of needed socio economic support, their social/ administrative/ educational/ economic backwardness has further grown after 1971.
As per rough public estimates and information that has been emerging from Government sources nearly 6500 to 7000 families were uprooted / affected in 1971/1972. Of these ( 1971 War ) around 4600 families comprising of nearly 19000 souls were accommodated in relief camps and nearly 1600 to 2000 families were treated as Non Camp DPs 1971 The affected people say that numbers may be more.
All these affected people belonged to Jammu Region and are satying in Jammu Region. As per the information available it was decided by government to provide lands to rural agriculture families at a uniform rate of 4 Acres Abi land and 6 Acres of khuski land . The urban families were not at all treated fairly.
A committee head by Mr. R.D .Kapoor Addl Secretary in MHA was appointed for looking into the grievances of all categories of refugees/ displaced persons in J&K but this committee too did not attempt to make use of private agencies / opinions. The committee had rushed through its “agenda” and the recommendations did not satisfy the suffering people. But even some ‘half recommendations’ made by the Committee in 2000 were not adequately taken care.
Inspite of the 1965 /1971 Chamb Refugees having been made to leave their homes under a GOI policy still inspite of there being all justifications for providing government sponsored admissions / reservations to their children in private and Government educational institutions (like Kashmiri Migrants of 1990 ), no such support has been extended.
To be continued
(Daya Sagar is a Sr Journalist,a social activist can be reached at [email protected])