Asem Bhakta, Special Correspondent North East
Imphal: Extending the humanitarian service towards the people displaced by the ongoing ethnic conflict in his native state Manipur, Okram Bishwajit Singh, a London resident working as a chartered accountant raised a fund for them, particularly the hapless women through a charity run.
Bishwajit, after approaching his friends and relatives to sponsor him whatever they could, participated in the “10K Charity Run” in London on July 14 this year, which he dubbed “Charity run for Manipur” and raised over Rs 2 lakh.
17,000 runners took part in the run that made their way through central London, passing iconic landmarks like Big Ben, the London Eye and Trafalgar Square, as the capital comes together for a celebration of the city, he said.
The proceeds, he said, were distributed with Rs 6,000 rupees each to 33 hapless and economically disadvantaged women, mostly widows and their families, taking refuge in different relief camps on August 18.
The ethnic conflict that broke out on May 3 last year in the state resulted in more than 220 deaths, thousands injured, and nearly 60,000 displaced, besides leaving a trail of destruction.
Bishwajit, who hailed from Thoubal district, thanked his mother, Okram Jamuna Devi, father Okram Premchand Singh, and local members of the World Meitei Council, for personally visiting the camps for the distribution of the fund drawn from the charity run.
At Sajiwa relief camp in Imphal East district, a widow inmate said “the money has come at a time when I have lost everything I had. This handout will help me to start all over again and I will be able to look after my children.”
Another from Moreh town quipped “The assistance we’ve received shows there are people who care and are willing to help us in the darkest times of our lives and start a new life.”
Bishwajit expressed his appreciation to everyone from Europe, America and India, who supported him for the charity run.
“My focus was mainly for widows and economically disadvantaged women living in the internally displaced persons’ relief camps in Manipur. Due to lack of resources, only camps in Imphal East, Kwakta, Wangjing, Kakching, Wairi, Wangoo and Sugnu in the valley districts were covered,” he said.
“The amount was given to 33 economically disadvantaged women through my parents and members of the World Meitei Council,” Bishwajit said, adding “I want the government to initiate action to send the IDPs back to their place of origin at the earliest or at least give them some assurance of time line to do so.”
The American Meitei diaspora, in August last year, donated Rs 6 lakh to the conflict victims through former Governor, Anusuiya Uikey at Imphal Rajm Bhavan.
