Karbi Anglong, February 8 (MExN): A fresh report has stated the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) “deserves a trial and face penalty for grossly violating the Constitution of India and looting the indigenous people for over 64 years.” It holds the KAAC responsible for the “genesis of the ethnic clash between the two tribal communities as it is a part of its game plan to wipe out the Rengmas from homeland.”
This was stated by a ten-member team of observers from the Rengma Hills Support Centre (RHSC), Rengma Naga Peoples Council (RNPC) and others who visited the burnt down Rengma villages to “spot verify burnt houses and assess the situation” on February 4 and 5, 2014. Its conclusion is that the KAAC has “misused its powers and exploited the Rengmas.”
The team of observers comprised of K. Thong, the convener of RHSC, Kechum Nyenthang, secretary of RHSC, Dr. Kenilo Kath, convener of RNPC, Joel Kath, secretary of RNPC’s media cell, other members of RNPC like Hyusin Thyu, Anilo Khing, Kenyuseng Rengma, Gwasheng Rengma, A. Rengma and Joana Marcowitz, an American free lance journalist from New York.
The team revealed that the KAAC had “unconstitutionally allotted land pattas to Karbis belonging to Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and other districts of Assam and established villages very close to Rengma villages with an intention to grab land … in total disregard of Rengmas legitimate landownership rights and stationed militants in the vicinity of their villages is one of the major circumstances leading to aggression and attack.” It further alleged that the KAAC is “preventing the Rengmas from utilizing their land.” For this, the press release stated that “we can sue the KAAC in the court of law on various grounds and we will not hesitate to do so” as the autonomous council has “totally failed to fulfill constitutional purpose of the tribal autonomy.”
By way of evidence, on February 4, the team visited Choginlashonyu (Shathi), Guzenlanyu (Khowanyi) and Nkhenlari (Khanari) through the Silonijan–Phentsero route and noted that the path that leads to the Rengma villages is a “rough corridor” and an “irregular passage which floes like a river in summer time.” The team observed, with irony and astonishment, that while none of the Rengma villages in Phentsero range are electrified, the closest Karbi village of Lokhiram had electric posts, cables and a transformer.
On the attacks, the team of observers noted, “According to a villager who was present at the village with CRPF personnel, the KPLT and Karbi villagers came to attack Nkhenlari village on 26th December 2013 but retreated when three of the KPLT cadres were shot dead.”
The first village to be “razed down to ashes,” stated the team, was Guzenlanyu (Khowanyi) village and the first house to be burnt down was the GBs house and his wife was shot dead in the morning of December 27, 2013. According to a youth of the village, “grenades were repeatedly thrown into various rooms of half walled house to make sure that no one would escape and the two women hiding inside and the roof and the upper wall were blown off in the air.” At Choginlashonyu, the team said, all the houses were razed to ashes as “heavily armed KPLT militants accompanied with some hundred villagers suddenly attacked the unaware Rengma village.”
On February 5, the team of observers proceeded towards Tseguchonri, the last village situated on the other range, about 26 km from Chokihola. “The government has already begun road construction nearly reaching this village and for which fund has been sanctioned by the governor of Assam. It is said the permanent security post is to be erected there,” informed the press release. At Lorenyu village, the team revealed, “Nothing could be saved as the villagers ran helter skelter for life into the jungle.”
