Nagaon, Dec. 9: The Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) today offered to talk peace with its rival, the anti-talks faction of the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), and said it was ready to accept even a Karbi as mediator. The announcement was made by the KRA divisional commandant in charge of operations launched by the Manipur-based militant group in Assam.
The militant leader, K. Hanghshing, said: ?For the sake of peace in Karbi Anglong, we are ready to sit for discussions. The mediator may be a Karbi or from other community, but we are ready to talk on the issue of peace in Karbi Anglong.?
For blood-soaked Karbi Anglong, it was the best news in a long time.
At least 35 people from both the Karbi and Kuki tribes have been killed in just over a month. Thousands of people have been displaced.
Hanghshing, who leads the KRA in the zone comprising Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills and Nagaland, blamed the anti-talks faction of the UPDS for the continuing ethnic feud.
?For the last few years, the UPDS has been carrying on operations in the twin hill districts of Karbi Anglong and the N.C. Hills with the aim of rooting out the minorities like the Kukis and Dimasas living in the districts. The present ethnic clash in Karbi Anglong is a result of ethnic cleansing,? he said.
The militant leader attributed the animosity between the KRA and the UPDS to the friendly relationship between the Dimasa militant group, Dima Halam Daoga, with his outfit. The UPDS is a rival of the DHD, whose area of influence is North Cachar Hills district and parts of Karbi Anglong.
Hanghshing accused the anti-talks faction of the UPDS of killing three Manipur-based students who had come to Manja to participate in the Kut festival of the Kukis. He said the students were abducted on November 1 and killed later.
The KRA leader cited another alleged instance of the UPDS indiscriminately targeting people.
He said on November 16, militants belonging to the anti-talks faction of the Karbi group killed 10 villagers at Dihanglau.
Hanghshing disclosed that the KRA division for Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills and Nagaland was formed in 2000 with him as the divisional commandant.
He said the division comprised nearly 180 trained guerrillas who were at present engaged in the operation against the UPDS in Karbi Anglong.
The militant leader said the KRA would seek help from other militant groups, including the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and the Dima Halam Daoga, ?should the situation compel us to do so?.
On Sunday, the Kuki National Assembly raised the pitch for a separate administrative council for the tribe in the Singhasan Hills area.
Echoing several other groups, the Karbi Youth Organisation today dismissed the demand as an unacceptable one. It claimed the Kukis in the Singhasan Hills had migrated from outside the district and, therefore, ?their existence in the hills is temporary?.
The youth organisation appealed to the KRA and other Kuki organisations to join the ?peace process? instead of raising new demands. It urged the state government and the district administration to take steps for the rehabilitation of the displaced Kukis.