Haflong : Demanding bifurcation of NC Hills district and revocation of notice for PRC re-verification, the indigenous people forum organised a mass rally at Haflong on Thursday. Hundreds of people of IPF took out a mass rally led NCHISF, IPF, Women wing of IPF leaders like Hlima Keivom, S Jeme and others. The rally started from lal field marched through the main roads up to council rotary and converged in front the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

Later they submitted a representation to the chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma through the Deputy Commissioner, Dima Hasao District. The Representation pertaining to some of their striking grievances and a humble prayer thereof
for taking immediate necessary step(s) for early solution of those grievances they maintained that 1. Setting up of a Boundary Demarcation Commission headed by a Retired Judge of a High Court or a Retired IAS Officer as agreed upon during the Meeting of the IPF with the GoMC on 11th of September, 2022: That, during the Meeting of the IPF with the GoMC at Dispur on the 11th of September, 2022, it was agreed upon for setting up of a Boundary Demarcation Commission headed by a Retd. Judge of a High Court or a Retd. IAS Officer which however has not been reflected when the Minutes of the Meeting came out.

Disappointingly enough, today, after the lapse of 6 months and 12 days, there is no news of the formation of the Boundary Demarcation Commission which proves the negligence of the Assam to the IPF. Hence, it is their earnest prayer that the Boundary Demarcation Commission be formed without further loss of time giving due respect to the decision at the Meeting.

Not to involve the Dimasa leaders in the GoA-IPF Talks:
That, it may seem odd and rather a narrow minded on our part to ask for not to involve the Dimasa leaders in the GoA-IPF Talks, But, they cannot help asking so considering the nature and attitude of the Dimasas towards the Indigenous Hill Tribal People. The IPF Communites are neither against the Freedom of the Dimasas nor jealous of their prosperity in the least. In most of their Memoranda, they have asked the Govt. to grant the highest possible political status to the Dimasas provided that they, the Indigenous Hill Tribal People are not included within whatever Political status that may be granted to the Dimasas. On the other hand, the Dimasas are always against the least freedom of the Hill Tribal People. They are ambitious to put the Hill Tribal People always under their control.

They are not demanding the land of the Dimasas like Maibang valley which they are claiming as their past kingdom. They are demanding their ancestral land; the hill region which was never under the control of the Dimasa king. It may be noted here of the fact that it is the Dimasas themselves who have claimed to be the sons of great river. ‘we know that there is no big river(s) in our ancestral land of the Hill Areas of the North Cachar Hills District which, by a common sense, cannot be the habitation of the sons of great river’.

They have highlighted in detail the nature and attitude of the Dimasas towards the Indigenous Hill Tribal People in their preceding Memoranda. By their very nature, the Dimasas are not conversant with the customs, cultures and habits of the Hill Tribals and hence, cannot maintain cordial co-existence with them. As such, it will be futile to expect any good thing for the Indigenous Hill Tribal People out of any Meeting where the Dimasas are allowed to have a say. Therefore, it is their humble prayer to his considerate office that henceforth, not to involve the Dimasa leaders in any Talks between the Govt. of Assam and the Indigenous People’s Forum (IPF) in the greater interest of justice.

Revocation of the Notification of the NCHAC, Haflong for the PRCs Verification:
That , his esteemed office must be well aware of the fact that the Dimasa dominated N.C. Hills Autonomous Council, Haflong has issued a Notification for Verification of the Permanent Residential Certificate (PRC) by the entire population of the forcibly renamed as Dima Hasao District which is nothing but a harassment to the general public.
The Council authority has asked to submit the PRCs in original along with proof of enrollment in the Assembly Electoral Roll of 1970-71, pattas etc.

It is not a matter of joke for the far-flung villagers to come to Haflong for obtaining certified copy of Electoral roll which cannot be obtain in 1/2 days. It is next to impossible for the poor far off villagers who do not have relatives at Haflong where they can stay 1/2 days to come to Haflong to apply the certified copy of their electoral rolls as they need to stay at hotels which is beyond the affordability of the poor villagers. Therefore, they earnestly pray him kindly to instruct the Council authority to revoke immediately such a nuisance Notification for Verification of the PRCs by the entire population of the district which is causing untold harassment to the general public.

Creation of a Separate Assembly Constituency in the ensuing Delimitation exercise of the Parliamentary and the Assembly Constituencies in the state of Assam:

That , ‘your good office is well aware of the fact that it is hard for the Indigenous Hill Tribal People of the forcibly renamed in a Communal name, as the Dima Hasso (N.C.Hills) District to survive under the tyranic regime of the Communal Dimasas which has compelled them to demand for a separate Autonomous District with a separate Autonomous Council under clause (c) of the sub-paragraph (3) of paragraph 1 and the sub- paragraph (1) of paragraph 2 of articles 244(2) & 275(1) of the sixth schedule to the constitution of India for the last thirteen years.

Their Demand also has included creation of a separate Assembly Constituency against the proposed map for their district. As such, in the greater interest ofupholding, equality of opportunity as enshrined in the Preamble to the noble Constitution of India, it isearnestly prayed that a Separate Assembly Constituency be created against the proposed map for the Separate District in the ensuing Delimitation exercise of the Parliamentary and the Assembly Constituencies in Assam.

It is their sincere hope and an earnest prayer to his benign office to kindly take necessary step(s) and fix the date for a tangible initiative towards materialisation of their long pending genuine Demand within 10th of April, 2023. And, in the absence of any tangible initiative towards the materialisation of their Demand by 10th of April next, they shall be compelled to call Indefinite N.C. Hills Bandh and in the event of the occurrence of any untoward incident, none but the Govt. shall be responsible.