Indigenous Peoples Forum Wants Talks With Assam CM

Haflong wears a deserted look during the Dima Hasao bandh on Monday

Haflong, May 18 : The Indigenous Peoples Forum today announced that it was ready to sit for talks with Dispur for a democratic solution to their demands for a separate autonomous council.

The secretary of the IPF, A. Langthang, said a team of non-Dimasas representing the forum, would move Dispur soon to meet chief minister Tarun Gogoi to press for their demand.

“We have heard that the chief minister is out of station. We will move him as soon as he reaches Dispur. Our team will meet Assam Governor J.B. Patnaik as he is the chief of the existing council,” Langthang said.

Langthang alleged that the present council leadership was violating the official rules and norms by changing signboards and seals of all government and semi- government offices in the district from NC Hills to Dima Hasao.

Yesterday, the council’s employees placed a signboard in front of the main gate of the council office in Haflong town. The name of the council was written Dima Hasao district autonomous council.

“We cannot be in a position to tolerate all these. Before doing these, our problems should be solved. We will not move New Delhi as that must be done by Dispur,” Langthang said.

The Indigenous Students Forum, affiliated to the IPF, today blocked train tracks from Silchar to Lumding at Maruha and Lower Haflong. The student group called a 60-hour Dima Hasao bandh from 5am today.

Thousands of non-Dimasa students blocked the rail route, preventing the movement of two passenger trains that run from Tripura to Lumding.

Langthang said the blockade was lifted when senior railway officials assured the student activists that no train would be allowed to run during the bandh hours.

The demands of the organisations representing the non-Dimasa community include creation of a new district autonomous council and geographical separation of Dima Hasao district.

They demand that the bifurcated district be again named North Cachar Hills district.

“We had met senior ministers of the Gogoi cabinet including Himanta Biswa Sarma, Rockybul Hussain and Khorsing Engti before renaming of the district. We hope our discussion with the chief minister will be fruitful as that will be the first sitting with the government after renaming,” Langthang said today over phone.