Reiterates demand for bifurcation of Karbi Anglong
Phentsero, January 16 (MExN): The Rengma Naga People’s Council (RNCP) has written to the Union Home Minister demanding that the National Investigating Agency probe into the recent violence in Karbi Anglong and the recovery of nine dead bodies in Dimapur. The letter issued by RNPC President, Shahi K Rengma and General Secretary, K Solomon Rengma stated that the violence in Kabi Anglong has taken scores of lives and has put more than 2000 Rengmas in relief camps.
The RNCP alleged that the “carnage in Rengma Hills was carried out by Karbi Peoples Liberation Tigers (KPLT) ultras and Karbi mobs from nearby Karbi villages, resulting in the death of six Rengmas, all from gunshot wounds.” It added that a “mass exodus of Rengmas followed the burning of entire villages to ashes, the burning of granaries, chopping down of orchards and betel trees (the main economic activity of Rengma Nagas), and slaughtering of domesticated animals and fowls.”
It however lamented that three factors have “relegated” the grievances of the Rengma Nagas in Karbi Anglong to the “background.” According to RNPC, the factors include the recent recovery of nine dead bodies in Dimapur, the Naga Rengma Hills Protection Force (NRHPF) subsequent claiming of responsibility for the killings and the reference made by Karbi Civil Society to a “third force” responsible for the violence.
The RNPC said that “implicit in the theory of third force is the denial that neither Karbi civilians nor the KPLT are responsible, but that certain elements are out to chase the Rengmas from their homeland, with a view to sabotage the Joint Action Committee for Autonomous State’s (JACAS) statehood demand.”
It alleged that the Karbi civil society, “fearing the JACAS agitation falling by the wayside, has accused third forces of orchestrating trouble in KA since 2003, thus directly absolving Karbi militants of any hand in ethnic clashes in Karbi Anglong.”
It added that investigation is also needed into allegations that the NSCN (IM) is “orchestrating trouble in Rengma Hills,” since “it relegates the sufferings of Rengmas and its decades old agitation for political identity to the sidelines.”
It added that the 28 non Karbi communities of KA “oppose the statehood demand of the JACAS” and that the “political stand” of the Rengmas is “independent of any demand by any entity, including the NSCN (IM)’s Greater Nagaland demand.”
The RNPC further reiterated its demand that Karbi Anglong be “bifurcated into two; one comprising of an area of 8724 sq km, which shall be the new autonomous district council of non Karbi communities, with its headquarters at Bokajan.” Stating this, it urged the Government of India to protect its minorities and negotiate with the 28 non Karbi communities, “willing to live under a united Assam state.”
