Imphal, October 12: Nearly after a decade of the ethnic clashes between Nagas and Kukis, the people are still trying to come to terms with their horrible past.

On the other hand, the government has been callous to their plight and struggle to start new lives from the ruins and remains of the bloody conflict.

The affected people who have lost everything are being shown apathy by the powers that be.

So much has been said and written about rehabilitation programmes, help projects and aids.

How much of these have been executed or implemented is there for ail to see.

A visit of some of the villagers who survived the gory episode have much to tell.

Some villagers of Henglep and Nungba constituencies, namely Pungshan Khullen, Ngungbai, Maokot, M Molcham, Mamang, Somkong, bore the brunt of the clashes and are now in the process of Healing the wounds leaving aside the hatred that nearly consumed the agz-oid relationship of brotherhood and co-existence.

After a long haul of taking refuge in distant places, many villagers are back to claim their rightful lands.

Speaking to IFF, an old villager of M Mokhom said whatever happened in the past was the handiwork of some vested interests.

God won't forgive them, he added.

The village chief of Mokot, another village which was inaugurated on September 23 after the feud, told IFF that nothing positive will be brought by such senseless killings and now it is time for peace.

In this regard, he is reaching out to other villages for better coordination.

Though all these villages lie in the remote jungles and they live their own rustic ways, the people are content from the products they get through cultivation, complimented by their characteristic hard work.

The ugly face of corruption has no place in this part of the world.

However, life in the hills is surrounded with problems.

There is no access to education, medical facilities, proper sanitation, transport and communication, disease lurks around.

When someone falls sick, the villagers have to carry him or her through the jungles for two days for medical help at the nearest health centre, said the chief-in-charge of Somkong village, Thangjin, adding many a lives fell prey to even minor ailments.

Jamkhogin, secretary of Somkong village, who is said to be the only educated persons in the village, has started a make-shift school with a goal in mind to educate the younger generation.

A government school in the village is a distant dream, is all he had to say.

With another election drawing near, perhaps the time is nearer for the power-seekers to prey and thrive on the misery of these villagers.

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