From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: After a lull for a considerable period trouble is once again brewing in Dima Hasao district of Assam with Indigenous People’s Forum (IPF), a banner organisation of non-Dimasa ethnic groups, raising its banner of protest against the Centre’s intension to sign a memorandum of understanding with militant Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) sans heeding to the IPF’s demand for bifurcation of the hill district into two autonomous council instead on existing one.
The IPF comprising principal ethnic groups Hmar, Kuki and Jemi Naga, have demanded bifurcation of Dima Hasao district into two autonomous district councils under the framework of the Article 244(2) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
The indefinite bandh called by the IPF on October 27 in protest against the move to sign pact with the DHD turned violent as it precipitated clashes between IPF members and cadres of DHD in truce.
The bandh supporters also clashed with police on September 28 forcing the administration to clamp indefinite curfew to prevent any further untoward incidents in the district that has history bloody ethnic cleansing between Dimasa and non-Dimasa groups.
Though the bandh was withdrawn by IPF from Wednesday on being persuaded by Assam government, protestors belonging to Dimasa tribe on Friday hit the street in Haflong, the district headquarter in protest against the bandh culture introduced by the IPF which also allegedly resorted to violence during bandh.
Thousands of people were demanding to maintain peace in the district and to take action against the perpetrators of violence. Later they submitted a memorandum signed by several organizations to the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi through the deputy commissioner of the district.
The memorandum stated that in spite of the bandh being banned by the Supreme Court and subsequently by Gauhati High Court on 29th August this year Dima Hasao happened to be the first district Assam to be subjected to total a bandh from 27th September to 3rd October last creating violence and unrest to the public thus violating the Human Rights.
Meanwhile, a Chinese grenade was recovered in the heart of Haflong town on Friday morning. Police recovered the grenade which was found lying on the road side with its pin removed. Army and police rushed to the spot and defused the grenade.