Violence in NC Hills of Assam

Organiser,2009 Issues > June 21, 2009


Report

Violence in NC Hills of Assam
Curb the militancy, rehabilitate victims: JFCPF

Dimasa and Jeme Hindus have several common traditions and rituals. They have blood relations with each other. Inter-marriages between Dimasas and Jemes are permissible. Their well-knit family relations are preserved in their folk-tales, folk-songs, history and religious practices. Both are closest to each other.

Janjati Faith and Culture Protection Forum (JFCPF), an organisation of Janjati leaders of north east constituted to preserve their eternal culture, language and forefathers’ history, cautioned the Dimasa and Jeme communities of NC Hills in Assam against the church conspiracy in league with militant organisations. In a joint statement issued by Shri BB Jamatia, president, and Shri Jaleswar Brahma, secretary, on June 2, the Forum appealed to the Central Government and the State Government to act immediately and decisively to contain and uproot the armed insurgency in the area and start the healing process so that all the 4,000 innocent people from Dimasa and Jeme communities living in 13 relief camps can return to their villages and construct their dwellings and work in their fields since monsoon has begun and it is high time for paddy cultivation.

They also appealed to government to provide enough financial assistance to the affected families so that they can be relieved of their mental agony and anxiety. The statement was issued after the JFCPF’s meeting held at Guwahati on May 31 in which representatives from 15 Janjati communities including Bodo, Karbi, Hajong, Munda, Uraon, Jeme, etc. had participated.

The Forum also advised the Dimasa and Jeme society to maintain cordial relations at social, cultural and religious level. “They should be able to identify the friends and foes. The Dimasas and Jemes must join their hands to defeat their common enemy who may be embedded in their own respective community. Christians are Christian. They are neither a Dimasa nor a Jeme. After conversion, they become hostile to their own community, their parents, brothers and sisters work for church and church sponsored insurgency. They become loyal to church and conspire with church leaders for more conversions,” the statement added.

The Forum said there appears to be a strong nexus between insurgent leaders and the politicians in NC Hills. Because of this, several crores of rupees have reportedly been given to insurgent organisations for the purchase of arms, ammunitions and explosives. The media and intelligence agencies have reported it very often. The Central Government should investigate into it and book the culprits under appropriate law.

According to the statement, over 200 lives have been lost, 245 houses have been burnt to ashes and properties worth several crore have been destroyed in the clash since January this year till now. The construction of Mahasarak (East-West Corridor) with assigned expenditure of Rs.800 crore and the work of BG Line worth Rs.1000 crore have totally been halted. The other developmental activities have come to zero, dozens of industries including a cement factory have been closed, most of the prominent traders, high officials and politicians have left Haflong, the district headquarters, and other prominent towns like Maibong and Mahur for their safe haven in Guwahati. The law and order is totally collapsed and armed militants displaying AK-46 rifles move freely. They are controlling the civil administration.

The statement said the security personnel including Army, CRPF, RPF, Assam Rifles, BSF and SPOs are simply silent onlookers because they have not been issued orders to act. Both the Central and State governments appear to be completely complacent while whole of the NC Hills district is in the militants’ grip. The houses in different villages of Dimasas and Jemes are being torched, innocent villagers including women and children from both the communities are targeted and panicked people are fleeing to relief camps, which again are targeted in Phoiding and Guilong villages.

The affected villages of Dimasa community include Yah, Jorai, Phoiding, Dibowla, Nanadisa, Bageter, Mahadevtilla, Mahur Bazar, Dimalikraji, Lungkhok and Mahur area. The total number of Dimasas killed from March 19 to May 29 are 11, total injured are 12 and the houses burnt are 105. The affected Jeme houses include Tunje, Choto Ninglo, Guilong (Hindu), Guilong (Christian), Mahur, Boildura, Dubi lane, Mahadevtilla, Near Haflong Civil Hospital, Mahdevtilla, Convent Road, Topodisa, Talowa/Jalwa, Choto Ninglow, Ngrimbunglo (Hindu), Sarkari Bagan, Talowa/Jalwa and Mabow. Thus the total affected Jeme villages are 14 and numbers of Jemes killed are14, numbers of the injured is 12 and houses burnt are 140. There are 3945 victims in 13 relief camps. The relief camps are at Laisong (1056), Hajaichak (56,33), Tungje (52,30), Guilung (32,20), Mahur/Namjaram (344,346), Boro Haflong (68,100), Jorai (32,40), Basabari (40,77), Thapa (105,145), Phaiding (105,145), Dibowla (37,32), Gungjung (21,49) and Duing Bathari (275,705).

Dimasa and Jeme Hindus have several common traditions and rituals. They have blood relations with each other. Inter-marriages between Dimasas and Jemes are permissible. Their well-knit family relations are preserved in their folk-tales, folk-songs, history and religious practices. Both are closest to each other. They are patriotic people opposing Christian conversion tooth and nail. Both the communities are opposed to inclusion of NC Hills into Greater Nagaland. They have been living in complete harmony from centuries. As a Hindu, both the communities have been prospering well.

On the other hand, the Christian missionaries from Nagaland and militant cadres of secessionist organisations of Nagaland have been gnawing their teeth against these two communities for their tough resistance to Christian conversion and extension of militancy in NC Hills. This is the reason that on every available opportunity, the Naga secessionist organisations and Naga Christians missionaries from Nagaland try their level best to segregate both the communities from each other and break their emotional, religious and cultural union with a malafide intension of weakening both the communities so that the Christians missionaries can have a rich harvest.