Newmai News Network
Guwahati | June 16
In what could be termed as an incident that will have a far-reaching impact in the restive North Cachar Hills district of Assam, armed people believed to be cadres of Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) on Tuesday gunned down 12 persons. The victims are said to include eight minors. All the victims hailed from the Zeme Naga community. Sources from the Army said that the incident occurred at noon on Tuesday at Mechi Duingram village, about 20 kilometers from district headquarters Haflong.
The victims were said to be heading to their jhum cultivations when they were gunned down.
“They (the victims) were on their way to the field for jhum cultivation when a group of militants shot at them from point blank range. All the 12 persons died on the spot and their bullet-riddled bodies were recovered by police later,” the source said. It was informed that the militants also set ablaze around 50 houses after the residents fled the village.
“They were all unidentified assailants armed with sophisticated weapons,” the source said quoting villagers who survived the onslaught. Two men and two women were among the victims. Police and paramilitary forces have launched a combing operation to nab the assailants, the sources added.
Over 30 persons have lost their lives in the latest spate of violence in Assam’s North Cachar Hills district that began in April. Over 500 houses have been torched. The victims are both Dimasas and Nagas. The state government could not contain the situation despite reinforcement of forces to the district. “It is an ethnic conflict and so how can we give security to every village?” argued a spokesperson of Assam Police.
The government of Assam blames Naga and Dimasa rebel groups for the unrest in this hill district.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi recently alleged that it was the two factions of the Naga insurgent groups National Socialist Council of Nagaland/Nagalim and Dimasa rebel group Dima Haolam Daogah (Jewel or Black Widow faction), which were creating all trouble in NC Hills.
“There is no ethnic frenzy (between Zeme Nagas and Dimasas). In fact, it is the insurgent groups which are fanning communal passion,” Gogoi had said. He appreciated the two tribes for living in harmony despite provocation by the militants.
Gogoi’s counterpart in Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, has strongly condemned the killings. Rio had recently apprised Union Home Minister P Chidambaram of the situation in NC Hills and urged him to do the needful to curb the violence. Rio had also taken up the matter with Gogoi, who assured to take adequate measures to bring the situation under control.
