DIMAPUR, Oct 4 NNN: Zeliangrong Students’ Union, Delhi has strongly condemned the violence perpetrated on the North Cachar Hills Indigenous Peoples Front (NCHIPF) activists and other peaceful demonstrators by Dimasa “hoodlums” under the patronage of the local authority on September 28. “The NCHIPF rally was a peaceful and democratic protest against the move of Assam State Government to convert Dimasa Hasao to ‘Dimasa Hasao Territorial Council.’ These are not isolated criminal physical assaults and intimidation perpetrated by the Dimasa goons hobnobbing with the State apparatus. These are calculated and premeditated politics of violence unleashed by Dimasa militants and the State to suppress the rightful aspirations of the other indigenous communities living in N.C Hills,” the Zeliangrong Students Union, Delhi alleged.
Dr M Gairiangmei, president of ZSUD alleged that the Assam State Government and the Centre have certain vested interests in appeasing the Dimasas in NC Hills. According to the 2011 Census, Dimasas constitute only 35 percent while the other indigenous communities constitute 65 percent of the NC Hills population, Dr Gairiangmei added. “But the people who constitute only 35 percent of the district has been given free hand to serve the interests of the State. Recently, Assam Government changed the official name of NC Hills District to Dimasa Haso District in order to appease the Dimasas despite strong opposition from the other communities who constitute 65 percent population of the District. The NCHIPF’s genuine demand to roll back the undemocratic decision of the State Government or create another district for the 65 percent population of the district by bifurcating the district has been ignored by the State. Today, as if to mock the democratic aspirations of the 65 percent majority communities, the Centre and the State Government are further considering to appease the minority Dimasas by declaring ‘Dimasa Hasao District’ as a ‘Dimasa Hasao Territorial Council,” Dr M Gairiangmei said.
Terming as short sighted policy of the Central and Assam governments, Dr M Gairiangmei said it was purely to create a ‘Dimasa Hasao Territorial Council’ (DHTC) by carving out large areas of territories belonging to other ethnic communities in NC Hills (Dimasa Hasao District). “If the Centre and Assam State Government wish to create a Territorial Council for the Dimasas let it be on their own territory but not on our territory. We will not hesitate to launch all forms of agitations and exploit all measures possible to expose and scuttle such diabolic and undemocratic politics of Assam State Government and the Centre to pit one community against another in the hope of clinging on to power and suppressing the rightful aspirations of the marginalized tribals in Assam,” he added.
Zeliangrong Students Union, Delhi fully endorses the stand of Zeliangrong Baudi to protect and defend the ancestral land of Zeliangrong people in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland from being used as a pawned in others’ interests. “We fully extend our unstinting support and solidarity to the Zeliangrong Baudi (AMN) and the IPF in their struggle to overcome the challenges of divisive and exploitative policies adopted by Assam State Government and the Centre,” the Zeliangrong Students Union, Delhi pledged.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/zeliangrong-students-condemn-violence/
