Imphal, June 11 2009: As the ethnic clashes fast heightening in Assam's NC Hills district between the Zeliangrong Nagas and the Dimasa tribe resulting in perennial adversity of the innocent people especially the women, children and those physically challenged, the Zeliangrong Baudi-Assam, Manipur and Nagaland (ZB-AMN) has appealed chief minister of Manipur, O Ibobi to intervene in the unfortunate incident and bring about an amicable solution at the earliest possible.
In a memorandum submitted to the chief minister of Manipur Thursday jointly by K Ningtangpou, president of ZB-AMN, Samsadin Jeme, president of Zeme Council, Assam and Achun Kamei, secretary relief committee (ANM) for NC Hills incident, 2009, the representatives of the Zeliangrong people highlighted the current situation of the people resulting from the ethnic violence allegedly against them by the Dimasa militant outfits, DHD (J) and DHD (D) in NC Hills of Assam and appealed the chief minister of Manipur for inspection and necessary actions.
Representing the Zeliangrong people living in NC Hills of Assam in particular and Tamenglong district in Manipur and Peren district in Nagaland in general, they informed that in the decade long ethnic violence 32 innocent Zeme Naga people have been killed with 2009 turning out the blackest year with 22 (twenty-two) being killed and nine injured so far.
They also alleged about 247 houses of the Zeliangrong Naga people have been burnt down alone in 2009 by the Dimasa militants as a measure of ethnic cleansing of minority Zeliangrong community besides resorting to killing of innocent and helpless Zeliangrong people from time to time since 2000 .
The memo submitted to the chief minister of Manipur also stated that the 85 Zeliangrong Naga villages in the NC Hills district have suffered much from the ethnic violence in terms of food scarcity and perpetual upsetting of normal and peaceful living of the people.
Revealing the Zeliangrong Naga people are hindered by the insecurity of earning their daily livelihood due to the free movement of the DHD (J) and DHD (D) in the region, the representatives also stated the Dimasa militants threatened that food grains not more than five kgs are sold to the Zeliangrong people of the area.
They further stated the DHD (D) which had entered into a ceasefire with the Indian government were violating the cease fire ground rules and roaming freely with sophisticated weapons which was obstructing the free movement of the Zeliangrong people in N.C.Hills.
They also imposed economic blockade by adopting all means and strategies, the memo of the ZB (AMN) contained.
Informing of the genesis of the ethnic violence, the representatives stated the violence against the Zeliangrong Naga people by the Dimasas began from the proposal of the Autonomous Council of the District for altering the classification of the N.C.Hills district to "DIMA HASAO RAJI" meaning "Dimasa's Kingdom" especially in reservation of 80 percent government jobs for the people of Cachar (Dimasa), transfer of land rights to Dimasa only and issue of Inner Line Permits (ILP).
However, the Zeliangrong people and the non-Dimasa tribes, comprising about 63 percent of the population had opposed the proposal that the day the Assam government concedes to such demands it would seal the fates of the minority communities of the N.C.Hills districts and that it would be the beginning of doomsday for them.
Following the opposition of the proposal by a larger majority of the N.C.Hills district community, the Dimasa militants began the ethnic cleansing of the minority Zeliangrong people and in the event killed about 32 innocent people while having destroyed over hundreds of houses in the last one decade, it stated. Asserting only the Assam government and the Central government can help calm down the situation of the region, the ZB (AMN) have appealed the chief minister of Manipur for necessary and immediate action.
And while thanking the Manipur chief minister, O.Ibobi Singh for all his help to the Zeliangrong community sheltered Taosem sub-division in the aftermath of the ethnic violence, the ZB (AMN) also appealed the chief minister to urged and influenced couple chief minister of Assam and central government to end the violence in the N.C.Hills of Assam.
They also appealed for improvement of Taosem-Haflong road from Phoklong to Jiri river as relief measures for the displaced Zeliangrong people, to take up augmented measures of relief and urged the central and Assam government to extend good grain relief for the whole Zeliangrong people of N.C.Hills as they have been affected by bamboo flowering, redden menace and now ethnic violence.
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