Widows share ordeal in relief camps, struggle for life

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 28: The Social Welfare Department has identified as many as 346 displaced widows and pro-vided pension benefits, but some are still not getting the widow pension even after more than two years in relief camps.
One such widow who has never received the widow pension is 45-year-old Khundrakpam Sakuntala, whose family was displaced from Moreh in May 2023.
Originally residents of Moreh Ward No 7, the family is now staying at the Akampat relief camp.
Khundrakpam Sakuntala is the wife of Ibomcha, who passed away in November 2023, some months after being displaced by conflict.
Her husband left her with two children- a girl and a boy.
Life was different for the family before the conflict.
The family had a shop at Moreh and they owned two DI vehicles which transported goods on the Imphal-Moreh road.
Life was easy and smooth.
Her house, shop and vehicles were all burnt and destroyed in early May in 2023.
They fled Moreh and took shelter at Akampat relief camp.
Suffering from depression, the health of her husband deteriorated and passed away on November 7, 2023.
Sakuntala now runs from pillar to post, making and selling products including incense sticks, candles, and vegetables to survive and support her children's education.
The girl is the eldest and is studying at Akampat Ideal Girls' College, and the boy is a Class XII (Science) student at Little Star English Higher Secondary School, Thoubal.
The conflict has taken everything from her, and all she has left with are "hopes" for her children.
More than two years after her husband passed away, she hasn't received any schemes or pension for widows even after submitting the required documents.
She however stated that a widow pension card received at the camp was returned for containing "incorrect details".
"The card bore the name "Sakuntala" without any surname. It also had her husband's name, address and bank details wrong. So, it was returned," Sakuntala said.
After returning the card, she received no new cards, Sakuntala said, seeking the attention of the Government authorities to provide her a widow pension so that she can support her children.
"How little may be the amount (pension), it can definitely help our family," Sakuntala said, adding that the welfare of the many IDPs including her family depend on timely assistance from the Government.
The Government must keep its promise, and provide assistance in time, she said, narrating how  at one time, the Government failed to provide her financial aid on time.
The State Government had approved a sum of Rs 30,000 in financial aid to families of deceased displaced persons specifically to cover last rites and funeral expenses.
When her husband passed away in November 2023, she received only Rs 10,000 at the time.  The remaining amount of Rs 20,000 was given recently in August 2025, Sakuntala said.
"The Government provided Rs 10,000 before the Asthi ritual, but I had to come up with the amount required to hold the ritual and the last rites. The Asthi ritual alone cost around Rs 30,000. The relief camp authority was very helpful and they extended every possible assistance," Sakuntala said.
Narrating how their lives have been changed by the conflict, Sakuntala said she now earns around between Rs 200-300 a day on an average.
"But, there are days--I make no sales, and couldn't go out to sell the products due to health conditions," she said.
For her son studying in Class XII, the school has waived off the tuition fees, but she is unable to provide him the guide and reading materials he needs.
"His examination is approaching, and like other parents, I want him to join coaching classes. But, I have no money," Sakuntala said, wishing she still had her shop in Moreh.
"If only there was no conflict, and I still have the shop in Moreh. I could easily support them. We would have never lost our home and our lives. My husband could still be living with us," Sakuntala said.
Without a reliable and stable means of earning income, the displaced persons at all relief camps are suffering, she said.
The displaced persons, if not allowed to return home, will find it very difficult to survive. The physical and mental trauma that the conflict and displacement have brought on the IPDs will have a lasting toll, especially on the children, she said.
"Our lives could return to normal if we are allowed to return to our original villages. Let us return and rebuild our home. We could start again if we are allowed to go back," Sakuntala said.
With a long sigh, Sakuntala, however, expressed that the hope for resettlement at Moreh seems a distant dream for now with the Government taking no concrete effort for the return of the IPDs to the border town.
"Now all that remains is hope. Hope we will someday break away from this chain, and go back to Moreh where we belong. Hope my children and their children never have to flee from anywhere ever again," Sakuntala said.
The Sangai Express will bring stories of other widows in relief camps in the next issues.