Victims’ homes,12 days after the violence began

Each tent holds the story of a family torn apart by the violence that struck Muzaffarnagar.

From a distance,its a riot of joyous colour. In the middle of a barren field,surrounded by poplar trees and sugarcane fields,stand rows upon rows of tents of every hue. But under the canopies is deep sadness. Each tent holds the story of a family torn apart by the violence that struck Muzaffarnagar of lives lost,and comforts forsaken. The open field is now their only refuge,as their last hope madrasas-turned-refugee camps in Kandla and Kairana are already packed beyond capacity.

‘My mother tried to drag us away but they chased us’

It was a family from Kutba who pitched the first tent in Malakpur on September 9,two days after the communal clashes began in Muzaffarnagar. Abdul Rahim,his wife and two daughters had been chased from their village. He pitched a tent on a patch of barren land. He told us he chose the spot for a clear view of all four directions to ensure they could flee. He has since taken his family to Delhi, said Waji-Ul-Rehman,one of the organisers of the camp.

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As people kept turning up at the madrasas is search of safety,scouts were sent out to look for space for an alternative arrangement. It was then that I spotted this tent in Malakpur,seven kilometres away. We called other families. The idea was that there would be strength in numbers. On the first day,100 tents were set up, said Rehman.

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Its been 10 days since,and the number of tents has now crossed 600. It is very difficult to keep track of how many people have come here. We have 3,200 people in our list,but there are at least 2,000 more who we dont have a record of, said Sajidullah,another organiser.

Those in the camp have refused all government help so far,and supplies are coming from within the community itself. When we really needed the government,they didnt keep us safe. Now we dont want their help… Those who were employed in construction are building toilets,others are making food. The tents were bought with the help of donations from the Kairana madrasa, said Sajidullah.

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Fatima Begum,75,for instance,helps out by knitting clothes for children. I came with my brother,and dont know where my children are. I hope to find them,but till then I want to assist in any way I can, she said.

Outside a tent next to Fatimas is a board which says Bhavadi. People have written their village names on the tents so that they can find others they know, she explained.

The number of refugees at the Malakpur camp has increased steadily since September 11. Organisers say they struggle everyday to find enough food,clothes and room.

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We dont even know whose land this is. But there is food,water and security here. There are many here who used to live in pucca houses. But for now,a thin piece of cloth separating us and the sky and each other is the only protection we have, said Altaf Khan from Shahpur.