Thiruvananthapuram: The dalit and adivasi organisations have appealed to the state government and all the humanitarian agencies not to exclude marginalised communities from relief ambit.
The Kerala Alliance of Dalits- Adivasis for Post- Disaster Engagements and Monitoring, a coordination committee of dalit and adviasi organisations, made this appeal taking into account past experience of relief and rehabilitation work.
Mr V.B. Ajayakumar, executive director of Rights, which is part of the alliance, said that the demand was borne out by the experiences and formal studies over the years into disasters like Gujarat earthquake (2002), tsunami (2004), Assam floods over several years, Thane cyclone (2012), Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka floods (2009), Odisha floods (2011) and Phailin cyclone (2013), Uttrakhand floods (2013), J & K floods (2013), Hudhud cyclone (2014), Odisha floods (2014) , Gujarat and Tamil Nadu floods (2015).
These have revealed how the marginalised communities have been excluded from rescue and relief. “In most cases we also see biases in terms of gender, age, religion and region. The special needs of women, children, aged, differently-abled and migrant labourers too are overlooked. There is a notion of disaster response being caste and gender neutral; but it has been established conclusively that it is not, said Mr Ajayakumar.
“We appeal that the government and humanitarian agencies incorporate this understanding in their assessments. Transparent, disaggregated reporting on the basis of caste, gender, age, disability and special groups would ensure that relief and rehabilitation steps are inclusive and just,” he said.
