IPF Strongly Condemns The Coward Reaction, Response of Assam Police

A Press Release

The Indigenous Peoples Forum (IPF) of Assam’s NC Hills, in the quest for a political solution to the ongoing flux in the hill district, organized a peaceful bandh today (April, 2010) to assert our democratic and citizenship rights. However, we are sorry to become victims of discrimination and high-handedness of the Assam Police. Despite the peaceful bandh, the police forces tackled the volunteers of Indigenous Peoples Forum by employing brutal force and resorted to use their destructive guns and weapons that severely shot and put the following persons in a critical conditions:

1. Lalengzaua Hauhnar (24) S/o Thommin Hauhnar
N Leikul Village
Bullet injury in the chest and arm

2. Tongginlal Lhouvum (22) S/o Ngulkholun Lhouvum
N Leikul Village
Bullet injury in the abdomen

3. Luthau Singson (24) S/o Letlam Singson
Bullet injury on the right arm

4. Sumsanglawm Zate (30) S/o Laihlitho Zate
Bullet injury on the right leg

5. Teusuibe Zeme(32)

6. Teutuile Zeme (22)

7. Miss Isatleing Riame (22)

8. Haimuing

9. Miss Adinle Kuame (30) D/o (L) Kileiting Kuame

The Indigenous Peoples Forum (IPF) strongly condemned the coward reaction and response of the Assam Police in dealing with democratic assertion and protest of its citizens. Such untoward responses are undemocratic, inhumane and uncalled for. Moreover, the brutal response of the Assam Police was a negation of the democratic and citizenship right of the indigenous peoples of NC Hills.

The Indigenous Peoples Forum (IPF) opines that Amitabh Singha APS (ASP) and O/c Shankar Swarggwary of the Assam Police, currently posted in Haflong, NC Hills be  suspended as they have come under the whims and fancy of the communal Dimasa people. We strongly condemned the two officials who have lost their integrity, fairness, truth and justice in such crucial time.

The Indigenous Peoples Forum (IPF), in pursuit of our democratic, constitutional and citizenship rights of the indigenous peoples of Assam’s NC Hills demands that:

1. NC Hills is bifurcated into two autonomous district council; one for the diverse tribes who composed the majority (64%) under the same NC Hills and one for the Dimasa (34%) with whatever name of their choice.

2. The Group of Minister’s Committee that was appointed to change the name of NC Hills be made null and void on moral grounds and a new Committee be reconstituted with new members for finding just and lasting political solution.

3. The victims of Assam Police atrocities be duly compensated and medically treated.

D.B. Thiek
Organizing Secretary
Indigenous Peoples Forum