Assam violence: Amidst ruins hope survives in Kokrajhar

Kokrajhar: Hope is still alive in Kokrajhar even as some of the villages have been razed to ground. Moinagori village resident Sushmita Basumatary still refuses to accept how violence destroyed her neighbouring village in Naobhita. It's hard for the women in Moinagori to understand how friends from the other community had to escape to relief camps. The pain of separation is inexplicable.

"For years we have been together. No clue what happened. I am sad, and if they come back don't know what will be on their mind," said Sushmita Basumatary.

The entire village of Naobhita in Assam's Kokrajhar district stands destroyed and mob frenzy is written all over.

Hope is still alive in Kokrajhar even as some of the villages have been razed to ground.

People of the village are stunned and still find it hard to believe that two communities living together for years in the Kokrajhar village became victims of unwanted violence.

"Of course I feel sad. They are like my own brothers. We would hang out together and they liked us," said Pradeep Basumatary of Moinagori village.

"This incident is terrible. I had many friends in this village," said Middle English school teacher Abinash Narzary.

As many people are trying to redraw the maps of hatred between Bodos and non-Bodos in the Bodoland Territorial Council - even after all the riots - Titliguri village stands resolute in its peace efforts.

"Our main objective in this village is peaceful coexistence and that's what we will try for always," Titliguri Middle English school teacher Shankar Krishna Chandra Bramha.

And that optimism might be the first step to douse these flames of unwanted hatred.

Almost nothing remains in the houses burnt down by miscreants in a village in Kokrajhar. It presents a picture of horror and utter helplessness. It's been the same story across Kokhrajhar and Chirang district. Despite promises and assurances no one knows how long it will take to rebuild homes.

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