Dimapur, June 16 (MExN): The Rengma Hoho Dimapur (RHD) has termed the recent exodus of hundreds of Western Rengmas from Karbi Anglong, under the threat of extermination by KLPT extremists as “totally unacceptable” to the Rengma people living in both Assam and Nagaland. A press statement by RHD president Phenchuka Rengma called the incident a direct challenge to Rengmas’ existence as a people. “Rengma Hoho Dimapur construes this as an act of ethnic cleansing for which the Government of India and international community is urged to intervene immediately.”
RHD further reminded the Karbi people and the GOI that history cannot be denied or even twisted to suit the chauvinistic agenda of a particular people. “GOI and Assam government both should understand that Rengmas are indigenous, true sons of the soil of Karbi Anglong having lived in this land for hundreds of years predating Karbis who are relatively late arrivals to the land,” it stated. “By quirk of fate, disease, plague and poison reduced our once proud people-the rulers of Karbi Anglong and Rengma Hills to a minority.” The Hoho further challenged the GOI to abrogate the MOU arrived between UPDS and GOI for implementation in 2016/17 and review the whole gamut of the proposed settlement keeping in consideration the interests of minority communities in Karbi Anglong “if cleansing the land of non-Karbis is the political agenda of Karbis.”
Further lamenting that Rengmas have suffered enough over the past decades, it stated that western Rengmas are at the lowest rung, developmentally with basic amenities such as roads, electricity and schools non-existent and culturally, Rengma language and way of life is under constant threat and "the latest attempt at physical elimination leading to mass exodus is an attack on the principles under which the country was founded." Therefore, it has urged Karbi civil society, intellectuals, church leaders and student bodies to immediately intervene and restore normalcy. “Rengma people are willing to have a dialogue with our Karbi brethrens in order to give peace a chance.”
