Camp residents are as usual happy about the festival, although for many it has become a festival without the part of family members. Some even refrained from celebrating it,but could not resist going to the bamboo swing (lingey ping) put nearby. It is only the price, not the unavailability of goods that deters people from buying. The exorbitant price of common food items make the refugee buyers to pick the low quality one.
However, for those families whose members are already employed in the west, it is a matter to spend the exchanged dollars. The dollars are also spent for the entertainment as the cheap roadside game of dice or rush to nearby cinema hall. Older folks are still shuffling the deck of cards, in public areas or under open bamboo shades.
The refugee population now has less distance to travel for the visit to relatives as three eastern camps are consolidated to Beldangi and Sanischare. Travel expenses have thus reduced and money saved for buying highly-prized fruits like apple or grapes or oranges.
