Family of workers feared dead in the May 30 Krem Ule, Umpleng mine disaster in East Jaiñtia Hills appealed to the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) asking on humanitarian considerations not to abandon the search for the bodies of the missing persons.
They expressed fear that the steps being taken by the East Jaiñtia Hills administration is not a serious one, while expressing anguish that the family members were not allowed to visit the place where the incident happened.
The appeal begged the MHRC to see to it that efforts continue for more time so that the chances of the bereaved seeing their dead are not lost. The appeal alleged that the “very slow” work by the rescue team dilutes even the little hope there is of recovery of the bodies.
The appeal was signed by Yeayha Hussain, who said that he is a relative and neighbour of one of the 5-7 missing persons, Aniworul Islam Barbhuiya of Katigorah, Cachar District.
The appeal noted that six days have passed but the families are yet to receive any information about their missing relatives. While appreciating that the district administration has taken some steps they were disappointed that “these are not sufficient to recover our person” and that the rescue team is operating very slowly and does not seem to be a serious effort.
The appellant feared that if it continues in this manner the operation will be stopped losing all hope of recovery of the bodies. The appeal pointed out that the missing persons are from ‘very poor families without any financial or political strength’ and that this is their last and only hope to save or recover the bodies of their loved ones.
Meanwhile it is learnt from the family sources that the deputy commissioner had assured that Barbhhuiya’s name would be added to the list of persons identified in the mine disaster.
At the same time, one other missing person yet to be identified by the district administration has been identified as Abdul Sukkur, of Pingorgool Bortol village, Badarpur constituency. A local activist, Mansur A Hira told Highland Post that Sukkur was a mason by profession. But because there was no other means of earning a livelihood, being a father of three small kids he had no option but to work anywhere there was a means of earning some cash.
Though there are many voices which blame the victims of the mine accident for working in the illegal mines, others believe that these labourers who land up in this dangerous work probably have no idea that these mines are illegal.
It may be mentioned here that on May 31, East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police, Jagpal Singh Dhanoa had released a statement in which he said five persons were reportedly missing inside the mine. Three of the five were identified as Abdul Karim from Boko, Assam, Abdul Kalam, Barpeta, Assam and Shyamcharan Debbarma from Tripura while two persons remained as “unidentified from Silchar.”
