We were affected by the flood as well, cry UC-1 residents

Thul residents continued their protest, hunger strike for 40th day, demand inclusion in list of flood-hit areas.

SUKKUR: Persistent residents of Thul continued their protest and token hunger strike on the 40th day running to demand their union council’s (UC) inclusion in the list of flood-hit areas.

The residents of UC-1 were supported by activists of different political and social parties, including the Sindh Taraqi Pasand party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaaz (Aresar group), Sunni Tehreek, Peoples Party Shaheed Bhutto, Anjuman Tulba-e-Islam and the Sindhi Adabi Sangat. Led by Maulana Ali Hassan Buriro, Jawed Sagar Brohi, Abdul Razzaq Lashari and others, the protesters have been demonstrating outside the municipal committee office for the past 40 days.

Buriro told media that before the floods hit, union councils 1 and 2 were issued warnings to evacuate. Thousands of residents left their homes and moved to safer towns and cities or to relief camps. According to Buriro, they spent hundreds of thousands of rupees in transportation and alternative living arrangements.

“Those who were affected directly lost everything, but the others also lost valuables and cattle heads because their empty homes were ransacked by robbers,” said Lashari, explaining that these towns had been completely deserted after the flood warnings. He blamed the district administration for ignoring their protest. Jawed Brohi also condemned the government, saying that it had earlier announced that both UCs will be included in the list of flood-affected areas and would be eligible for compensation such as the Watan card scheme. But later, the government took back its word and only UC-2 was included in the list.

Meanwhile, Mukhtiarkar Thul Abdul Malik Khoso told The Express Tribune over the phone that they included both union councils of Thul town in the list of flood-affected areas and then sent the recommendation to the authorities concerned. However, the authorities decided to keep UC-1 out of the list for some reason ‘known to them’. DCO Jacobabad could not be contacted for his comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2010.