From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Even as the government of India is talking to both the factions of Dima Halam Daogah (DHD), a Dimasa tribe insurgent group based in Dima Hasao hill district of Assam, one of the factions is apparently running out of patience.
The DHD faction led by Dilip Nunisa which had declared truce way back on January 31, 2003 and has been engaged in dialogue with the Government of India, has showed its impatience over not arriving at any solution (agreement) with the Centre even after prolonged negotiation since it had declared truce over nine years back.
To register its protest against the ‘dilly-dally on part of the government of India’ in signing a peace agreement with it, the DHD (Nunisa) has called for halt of work on all the on-going national projects in Dima Hasao hill district including Northeast Frontier Railway Gauge conversion project, East West Corridor project of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) besides other projects of the ONGC and the NEEPCO.
The call for halt on work will be enforced by the outfit for 36 hours from 5 am of Tuesday till 5 pm of Wednesday.
The DHD faction led by Nunisa has stated, “Even after being on ceasefire for the last nine years, the government is yet to settle our issue through signing of an agreement. The delaying tactics on part of the government has compelled us to think about rejecting the proposal made by the government unless they convert it to a formal agreement with us.”
The DHD stated that the protest was just a symbolic one and if the government failed to respond to the demand of the outfit for signing of an agreement, it would be compelled to stop work on all national projects in the hill district.
It may be mentioned that the DHD led by its leader Dilip Nunia used to run riot in the hill district before it declared ceasefire on January 31, 2003. Its key demand was a separate homeland for Dimasa tribe people living in Dima Hasao hill district.
However, after it signed ceasefire agreement, a faction of the outfit led by Jewel Gorlosa broke away from the outfit and resumed the terror activities. However, the faction led by Jewel Gorlosa known as DHD (J) or ‘Black Widow’ too came over ground on October 2, 2010 after its top leaders including Gorlosa had been arrested in June, 2009. Now the Centre is negotiating with DHD (J) too.
Because of the simultaneous peace process with both the outfits which are based in the same territory, the Government of India is now apparently finding it difficult to sign peace agreement with one faction of the DHD leaving the other to wait for some more time.
The government has appointed former IB chief PC Haldar as its interlocutor for talks with both the factions of the DHD.