Dimapur, November 21 (MExN): The Rengma Hoho, Rengma GB’s Association and Rengma Naga Public Organization, Karbi Anglong, Assam has demanded an apology from Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister and Spokesman to the Government of Assam, regarding a statement made by him to some Assam based local daily on November 19 on the “Supra-state Body” issue.
A joint press communiqué issued by the organisations stated that the Assam Minister must apologise to Rengmas both in Assam and Nagaland. Dr Sharma had reportedly stated that, “there are no other Naga areas in Assam and only some Zeme Nagas in the North Cachar Hills district. The few Nagas who stay in other parts of the state are ‘encroachers and not inhabitants.”
Giving an account of the disintegration of the Rengma tribe, the organisations stated that “prior to the advent of the British into the soil of the Nagas, the Nagas lived together in their own village and enjoyed complete freedom without any outside interference. However, in the 19th century, the British Government disintegrated the Naga inhabited areas and administered them under different administrative unit much against the will of the Nagas. Naga inhabited areas along with the populations were illegally transferred into adjoining states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh during the British rule for their administrative convenience. Moreover, under the 16-Point Agreement arrived between the Government of India and the Naga People’s Convention, 1960 states that the contiguous Naga inhabited areas and forest areas shall be consolidated, if they so desire.”
The Association added that “after the British consolidated their hold in Assam and managed to subjugate more and more Naga territories, they had to do some re-thinking, so as to effectively administer these areas. The need for re-defining administrative areas became all the more imperative after the construction of Assam Bengal Railway in and around 1899. Thus, for the sake of administrative convenience, large portions of Naga territory were transferred to the adjoining districts of Assam in 1898, 1901, 1902, 1903 and 1923 in a phase manner. The entire processes of transferring the territories of Naga Hills to the adjoining districts of Assam were carried out surreptitiously without the consent and knowledge of the Nagas, neither in individuals nor in general. Transfer of Naga territories into Assam was done much against the wishes of the Nagas but under the strong hands of the British Government, the Nagas had no voice to raise the issue. Moreover, those were the days, where the Nagas were unaware that their territories are being transferred to Assam and administered under different administrative unit.
The Naga Hills boundary was fixed on 25th November, 1925, but the Nagas came to realize only after the Independence of India that their territories are divided, transferred and administered under separate administrative unit.”
The organisations pointed out that when the 16-Point Agreement is very clear, “the Government of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, raising their angry reactions is unjustified and uncalled for, which should not jeopardize or sabotage the political, social, economic and cultural solution between the Government of India and NSCN (I-M).” The organisations stated that the Rengma Hills is clearly demarcated and has written record and history.
“Therefore, Dr. Sarma should tender an apology to Rengma Naga Tribes for his ignorance and limited knowledge about Rengma Nagas for treating us as encroachers in Assam which is totally baseless and cannot be tolerated,” the organisations stated.
A joint press communiqué issued by the organisations stated that the Assam Minister must apologise to Rengmas both in Assam and Nagaland. Dr Sharma had reportedly stated that, “there are no other Naga areas in Assam and only some Zeme Nagas in the North Cachar Hills district. The few Nagas who stay in other parts of the state are ‘encroachers and not inhabitants.”
Giving an account of the disintegration of the Rengma tribe, the organisations stated that “prior to the advent of the British into the soil of the Nagas, the Nagas lived together in their own village and enjoyed complete freedom without any outside interference. However, in the 19th century, the British Government disintegrated the Naga inhabited areas and administered them under different administrative unit much against the will of the Nagas. Naga inhabited areas along with the populations were illegally transferred into adjoining states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh during the British rule for their administrative convenience. Moreover, under the 16-Point Agreement arrived between the Government of India and the Naga People’s Convention, 1960 states that the contiguous Naga inhabited areas and forest areas shall be consolidated, if they so desire.”
The Association added that “after the British consolidated their hold in Assam and managed to subjugate more and more Naga territories, they had to do some re-thinking, so as to effectively administer these areas. The need for re-defining administrative areas became all the more imperative after the construction of Assam Bengal Railway in and around 1899. Thus, for the sake of administrative convenience, large portions of Naga territory were transferred to the adjoining districts of Assam in 1898, 1901, 1902, 1903 and 1923 in a phase manner. The entire processes of transferring the territories of Naga Hills to the adjoining districts of Assam were carried out surreptitiously without the consent and knowledge of the Nagas, neither in individuals nor in general. Transfer of Naga territories into Assam was done much against the wishes of the Nagas but under the strong hands of the British Government, the Nagas had no voice to raise the issue. Moreover, those were the days, where the Nagas were unaware that their territories are being transferred to Assam and administered under different administrative unit.
The Naga Hills boundary was fixed on 25th November, 1925, but the Nagas came to realize only after the Independence of India that their territories are divided, transferred and administered under separate administrative unit.”
The organisations pointed out that when the 16-Point Agreement is very clear, “the Government of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, raising their angry reactions is unjustified and uncalled for, which should not jeopardize or sabotage the political, social, economic and cultural solution between the Government of India and NSCN (I-M).” The organisations stated that the Rengma Hills is clearly demarcated and has written record and history.
“Therefore, Dr. Sarma should tender an apology to Rengma Naga Tribes for his ignorance and limited knowledge about Rengma Nagas for treating us as encroachers in Assam which is totally baseless and cannot be tolerated,” the organisations stated.
