Situation in Assam hill dists explosive as non-tribals retaliate

GUWAHATI, July 19: The recent spate of violence in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam during the past three days has once again exposed the explosive law and order situation prevailing in the two hill districts. At least 60 persons have lost their lives in the districts since April. And while in the first few incidents, the victims were either Nepalis or Biharis, the situation has drastically changed during the past two days with the Karbi tribals now becoming target of retaliatory attacks. The latest reports of violence have come from Serapathar village under Kheroni police station, where at least eight persons -- all Karbi tribals -- were killed late last night. A group of about 25 non-tribals, believed to be from the Bihari community and armed with bows and arrows, swooped on the remote village and killed six tribals while the villagers were asleep in their huts, reports said. Yesterday, six tribals, including two women, were killed and another injured in ethnic violence unleashed by armed non-tribals miscreants on Rongkori and Diclame villages. The recent round of violence started on Sunday with the tribal assailants -- under the banner of the United Democratic People's Solidarity (UPDS) -- gunning down 10 Bihari and Nepali settlers, most of them engaged as agricultural labourers. But two days later, it was the turn of Karbi tribals to bear the brunt of the on-going violence with as many as six of them falling to the bullets of the assailants. In April alone, as many as 33 persons were gunned down in the Karbi Anglong district, which included two under Diphu police station, 12 in the Dhansiri reserved forest, 11 near Baithalangsho and eight near Bokajan. And in all the incidents the victims were either Bihari or Nepali. Similarly, in adjoining North Cachar Hills, the other hill district of the state, the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) has been indulging in killings in a big way, the most significant incident being an ambush on May 18, which took the life of a young magistrate and four policemen. The Deputy Commissioner had a miraculous escape. At least four armed groups were active in the two hill districts, according to intelligence sources. The UPDS and DHD apart, the other two are Karbi National Volunteers and Karbi People's Front. And, it is now out in the open that the NSCN(IM) has been waging a proxy war in the two hill districts, which are strategically located adjacent to Nagaland and Manipur. Intelligence agencies say that the NSCN(IM) are working hand-in-glove with at least two of the above-mentioned outfits and were carrying on extortion drives in a big way in both Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills. The developments have also been given a political colour with the Congress and Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) blaming each other for allegedly instigating militant groups. The ASDC is the ruling party in the autonomous councils in both the hill districts. And that apart, the situation has been further worsened by a major rift within the ASDC, which incidentally is affiliated to the CPI(ML). ASDC leader Jayanta Rongpi, a three-time member of the Lok Sabha, has been facing a rebellion with another senior member Holiram Terang calling him corrupt and anti-people.