Haflong, 19th September 2022 : In response to the protest rally by Dimasa body, Indigenous People Forum organized a press meet at Haflong on 16th September 2022, which was address by its Working President Samsadin Jeme, both President and General of Indigenous Students’ Forum David Keivom and David Changsan in presence of other members of IPF,ISF and IWF.
The leaders claimed that Demand for Bifurcation is not out of ambition, but out of compulsion for preservation of their Identities and mentioned the following points which, was presented as press release, and is read :
1. Why the Indigenous Hill Tribal People of erstwhile North Cachar Hills district Demand for Separation from the Dimasa Administratively and Politically:
The main cause of the Demand for Bifurcation of the district by the IPF is the renaming of the district not only on a communal line but in a Communal name as “Dima Hasao” which has turned the Indigenous Hill Tribals of the district into strangers in our ancestral land in spite of a vehement objection from us. The Demand for Bifurcation is not out of ambition, but out of compulsion for preservation of our Identities.
When the N.C.Hills Autonomous District Council was formed in 1952, there were 12 (Twelve) MDCs: 6(six) Dimasa and the other 6(six) Non-Dimasa MDCs in the Council. However, as of today, the Dimasas have 17 MACs and the Non-Dimasa have only 11 (Eleven) MACs in the NCHAC, Haflong. But, we had never raised any Demand for Bifurcation because of this disproportionate Representation in the Council as we are much more concerned about Peace and Communal Harmony rather than Economic Developments.
Then, the Dimasas, with an attempt to dislodge us (Indigenous Hill Tribals) from the district waged successive Ethnic Clashes against us. Within a span of a decade, the Dimasas waged Ethnic Clashes against three Ethnic Tribes:- i) Against the Hmars in 2003,ii) Against the Karbis in 2005 and iii) Against the Zeme Nagas in 2009.
Yet, we had never raised any Demand for separation from the Dimasas, untill we, the Indigenous Hill Tribals were turned into strangers in our own ancestral land by confiscating the very ownership of the district from us and giving ownership of the district exclusively to the Dimasas. The District was renamed not only on a Communal line but in a Communal name as “Dima Hasao” on 30th March, 2010.
Subsequently, we, who did not like the Communalism of the Dimasas, started Demanding for a separate Autonomous District with a separate Autonomous Council where we can preserve our identities and can enjoy our rights as enshrined in the noble Constitution of India.
2.The Demand of the IPF, a Non- Communal one:
Unlike the renaming of the N.C.Hills District in a Communal name, the IPF has not Demanded for Bifurcation for any particular tribe or to be named in the dialect of any particular tribe, but has Demanded for all the Indigenous Hill Tribes of the district. Hence, the Demand of the IPF is a most Non- Communal one.
3. Who is Communal?
It is rather mockery to see the recent Protest Rally taken out in Haflong by some Dimasa Organisations alleging the Demand of the IPF as based on Communal and Religious line.
As we have stated above to the fact that our Demand is not for any particular tribe or Religious group but it is for the preservation of the Identities of several Tribes. Whereas, the Dimasas have Renamed our district as ‘Dima Hasao’, Constructed the Gate of the NCHAC, Haflong in the Traditional Design of Dimasa, Constructing the ‘Dimasa Bhawan’ in Delhi, Demanding for a separate Dima Raji State’
From the facts mentioned above, we are sure that there is no much problem for one to Judge as to who is communal and who is not.
3. Our Demand for Bifurcation as per the IPF Proposed Map is for a Long Lasting Peace and Communal Harmony:
We, the IPF are not Demanding the land (areas) belonging to the Dimasas. We are Demanding our ancestral land. In almost all our Memoranda submitted to the Govt. we have been demanding to grant us a separate Autonomous District with a separate Autonomous Council by curving out all the areas inhabited by us (Indigenous Hill Tribals) and to grant to the Dimasas the highest possible Political status whatever the government wants to grant to them provided, the areas inhabited by us are not included within whatever Political status that the Govt. may grant to them.
Instead of insisting for putting us (Dimasas and Non- Dimasas) together in a cage, if the govt puts us in separate cages, there will be no more fighting for Identities and shares between the Dimasas and Non- Dimasas. The Dimasas and the Non-Dimasa will be able to live side by side under separate Administrative and Political setups without further interference in each others’ Administrative and Political affairs. Hence, there will be long lasting Peace and Communal Harmony in the Region.
REGARDING THE PRC VERIFICATION :
We fail to understand as to why Verification of the PRC is imposed when the main culprit has already been arrested.
Secondly, The PRC Certificate is issued under Rule 128 of the Assam Autonomous District Rules 1951. It is clearly mentioned in the rules that a citizen of India and ordinarily resident of the constituency for not less than 180 days (6 months) is eligible for enrollment in the Electoral Roll and, a person shall be deemed to be a permanent resident within the territorial limits of an autonomous district if, he has taken up a fixed or permanent habitation with his family or made his permanent home in that district and resided continuously therein for a period of not less than twelve years.
The ongoing Verification process under the NCHAC, Haflong is totally against the Rule 128 of the Assam Autonomous District Rules 1951, the Verification process should be revoked immediately.
The PR bears names of Sd/-L.Kuki,President, S.Jeme, Working President, L.Hlima Keivom, General Secretary.
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