GUWAHATI, June 9 – The Buddhist community of the North-east region has expressed deep concern over the growing incidents of harassment and persecution of the Buddhist tribals by the militants and the security forces as well in the remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh. The Purvanchal Bhikkhu Sangha, in a statement received here recently, said that the militant outfits NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K) had demanded annexure of the land belonging to the Buddhists and other indigenous people of Rima Putak, Thikhak Putak, Motongsa and Longchong villages in Tirap Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh.
The militants have issued a decree to these tribals that they should convert themselves to Christianity or to face capital punishment. With death staring at their face, most of these people have fled their villages to safer areas. This has resulted in disruption in the agricultural activities in these areas, said the Sangha.
On the other hand, the militant organisations have persecuted several villagers for allegedly passing vital information to the Assam Rifles, while the Army is also harassing the villagers on the pretext of providing food and shelter to the militants and not reporting the militants’ activities to the security forces, the Sangha said. The joint Buddhist session of the Purvanchal Buddhist Bhikkhu Sangha and Purvanchal Buddhist Association at Namphakey near Naharkatiya in Dibrugarh district of Assam, frontline Buddhist leaders of both the States condemned the heinous atrocities committed by the militants on these peace loving peoples and sought immediate intervention of the Central Government and the Government at both the States to ensure security to these peoples and protection to their property.
The country being a secular one every citizens has the right to profess and practice his/her religion. What has been happening in Arunachal nowadays is a glaring example of violation of Human Rights, the leaders said, according to the Sangha statement.