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08/11/2007: "Naga intrusion triggers exodus - Mob attacks more Assam villages OUR BUREAU The Telegraph"

Naga intrusion triggers exodus - Mob attacks more Assam villages OUR BUREAU The Telegraph

Guwahati /Kohima, Aug. 9: The Assam-Nagaland border in Jorhat lapsed into lawlessness with Naga intruders rampaging through villages just across their territory thrice in the last 24 hours.
Residents of villages on the Assam side fled to the safety of government buildings near Mariani town after a mob fired in the air and killed cattle near Udaipur this morning. Nagas had raided villages in the Nagajanka sector of the border last night, too, damaging several houses.
The first incident in the sequence of Naga aggression occurred hours after the Jorhat district administration prevented activists of the All Assam Students’ Union from marching towards the inter-state border in Mariani for a confrontation.
While student activists on the Assam side were kept on a leash, there was no stopping the Naga mob from crossing over to this side of the border to ransack and set houses ablaze.
The inspector-general of police for border surveillance, R.M. Singh, visited the violence zone today to take stock of security arrangements.
A police picket was set up in Nagajanka, but residents who fled their villages said they would not return.
“Those from Borling, Udaipur and Khetiabeel villages are reluctant to return. They are staying in public health centres and school buildings,” a police officer said.
The president of the Ao Students’ Conference, Aodangnok Ao, said Nagas were “on high alert to repulse any attack from across the border” by the AASU. He blamed migrants of Bangladeshi origin who were evicted from Mokokchung district recently for the mistrust between the two states.
The student activist said “some Bangladeshis” instigated a section of the AASU leadership to create a tense situation along the border.
“We have good relations with Assam. It (the conflict) was the handiwork of the illegal migrants from Bangladesh.”
Quoting leaders of the Border Peace Committee (Nagaland-Assam), Ao said residents of the border villages of Assam had opposed the decision by the AASU’s Jorhat unit to march to the New Sunthia outpost.
“Those living in Bosagaon, Panchual, Kankhowa, Kalyanpur, Nagaon, New Sonowal and Jungle Block came out to thwart the AASU delegation right from the early hours.”
The student leader said the Naga Students’ Federation was in touch with the AASU leadership and that peace would return to the border soon.
Nagaland has been accusing Assam of pushing Bangladeshi and Nepali settlers into its territory to grab land.
Chief secretary P.C. Sarma phoned his Nagaland counterpart yesterday and also spoke to officials in the Union home ministry about the dispute.
Assam maintains that its boundary extends to the New Chuntia border outpost but Nagaland police have set up a permanent camp 13 km inside its territory at New Sonowal. Naga villagers have allegedly encroached upon land even beyond that point.
Assam: Ultras slay 14 Hindi-speaking people The Morung Express
GUWAHATI, AUGust 11 (AGENCIES): Suspected tribal militants mowed down 14 Hindi-speaking people including six children at Dolomara Rang Teron village under the Bokajan police limits of Karbi Anglong hill district of Assam late on Friday night.
This is the second such attack in a week’s time. Eight Hindi-speaking persons were gunned down by militants at Ampathar village under Howraghat police station of the hill district on the night of August 8 last. Three women and two children were among the dead on that day.
Police informed that a group of about 15 suspected tribal militants from Karbi Longri North Cachar Hill Liberation Front swooped down on four Hindi-speaking families of Rang Teron village and opened random fire, killing 14 on the spot and injuring three others.
The ultras set fire to a rice mill at the compound of one Dilip Sahu. Police didn’t rule out the involvement of United Liberation Front of Asom militants.
The ultras first broke into the house of Dilip Sahu, who was away in his native state Bihar, and shot dead six people including four children. The militants then continued the killing spree at the houses of Ram Kumar Singh, Ram Naresh Singh and Dinanath Sharma, killing six more persons.

The slain persons were identified as:
Rekha Devi, 30; Sandeep Sahu, 17; Rohit Sahu, 2; Jeevan Sahu, 9; Rohan Sahu, two months old; Rajni Sah, 6; Rinki Kumari, 9; Niki Kumari, 6; Jogesh Kumar Singh, 15; Munni Kumari, 20; Prabhawati Devi, Brajabhusan Singh, Dinanath Sharma, and Chandrasekhar Sharma.
Two of the injured were identified as Siban Sahu, 8, and Sunu Sahu, 20. The militants used AK 47 and AK 56 assault rifles in the attack. The police recovered empty cartridges from the incident site on Saturday morning.
Panic stricken Hindi-speaking villagers from Dolomara Rang Teron village have taken shelter in the neighbouring Dolomara Tea Estate following the incident.
There are 15 non-tribal families including Hindi-speaking families in the village that is located about 120 kilometers away from Bokajan police station.
4 more Hindi speakers shot dead by Ulfa By By Manoj Anand
Guwahati, Aug. 11: The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom has turned Assam into avirtual killing field by mowing down 30 people, including 22 Hindi-speaking farmers, in a spate of violence since Sunday.
The latest in the attacks on Hindi-speaking residents was on Friday night, when heavily-armed militants butchered 14 farm labourers at Dolamura village in central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. This came shortly after chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s call to Ulfa leaders to resume peace talks.
The Hindi-speaking villagers who were killed have been doing contract farming in the area for the past 30 years. Local residents said the families of these Hindi-speaking workers had been growing sugarcane in the area by taking the fields on lease from local tribal people. They were also engaged in the farming of ginger and pineapples on land taken on lease.
Karbi Anglong superintendent of police Anurag Tangkha said: "The local tribal militia Karbi Longpi North Cacher Liberation Front (KLNLF) has been helping Ulfa in carrying out the strikes."
The militants had killed eight Hindi-speaking people at Ampahar in the same area on Wednesday. The attacks have triggered fear and panic among hundreds of Hindi-speakers, most of them working as contract farmers.
The police said a group of militants had stormed into a remote hamlet and shot dead 14 people from two Hindi-speaking families after midnight.
Before this, the militants had also hurled a grenade at a shop in the same district, killing a two-year-old child. Nine others, including two policemen, were injured in yet another bomb blast in the district’s main town, Diphu. Mr Tarun Gogoi, who visited the trouble-torn district on Saturday, said the security forces had been put on alert. He also condemned the incident, but the press statement issued by his office on Saturday did not mention the name of the militant outfit involved in the latest massacre. Most political parties in the state are also maintaining a "tactical silence" on the massacre.
DIG (Central Assam Range) L.R. Bishnoi told reporters: "The militants did not even spare women and children in the last two massacres, in which 22 Hindi-speaking people lost their lives." The militants also shot dead the cattle of these farmers.
A source in one of the security agencies said: "There is a fear about more such attacks. We are really worried."
Assam Public Works, a local NGO engaged in a campaign against Ulfa, on Saturday warned the militant group to refrain from such selective killing of Hindi-speaking people. A spokesman of the NGO, Kumud Kalita, said: "Ulfa is targeting Hindi-speaking people in an effort to please its masters in Bangladesh."
Grenade blast near Army camp Special Correspondent The Hindu
GUWAHATI: The insurgent outfit ULFA hurled a hand grenade which exploded at an army camp after which army personnel opened fire at Borhat in Assam’s Sibsagar district on Saturday. No one was injured in the grenade explosion and the subsequent firing, police said. The explosive, which was apparently hurled at a nearby primary health dispensary around 6.45 pm, instead fell near the army camp, police said. The army men in the camp along the boundary with Arunachal Pradesh immediately retaliated by firing for several minutes, Army sources said. The area was cordoned off.
The indirect China control over Nagaland over Burma/Myanmar has devastating effects on its people. The Tangkhul
Naga International Support Center , NISC, www.nagalim.nl A human rights organization
NISC Press Statement Amsterdam, August: 11 2007
The indirect China control over Nagaland over Burma/Myanmar has devastating effects on the its people
After the resurrection in 1988 and the general election in 1990 the Burmese Junta could only remain in control of the nation because China kept the junta going. China supports the Military with weapons and funds. Now what is this geopolitical interest which has such dehumanizing effect on its own people and all Indigenous People of Burma?

That the Burma/Myanmar junta stamped out the results of the democratic election and consequently made it possible for the oppressive regime to persist, did not deter the Chinese Government then and it has not deterred that government now. China wanted Burma because of these three points remarkably important points: first of all because of China’s sense of international expansion and control, second because China functions as a bridgehead against India and thirdly for its cheap resources.

Apart from the fact that China knowingly contributes to the severe oppression of and the denying of every Burmese citizen of their basic human rights, resulting in killing it its own people, China provides the military junta with a certain amount legitimacy. Since next to China many countries, like Japan and China plus ASEAN, like to have trade ties with Burma they communicate with these human rights violators about normalization of relations.

The consequences?


Both the Burmans of Central Myanmar and the Indigenous peoples are kept isolated, they are demeaned forced, their rights forfeited and threshed up. The military junta does what it likes and the international community does little to intervene. As they are not safe in their own land the Burmans pay a hefty price for just being Burmese. Most tribal populations surrounding the Irrawaddy Valley are forced to become Burmese. They have to adapt language, religion and culture, yet are practically unknown to the International Community, yet some of them like the Nagas resist to defend themselves against intrusions by the Burmese Army backed up by formidably strong China and thus indirectly an adversary. Consequently:


The Naga International Support Center calls on the Government of China to withdraw its support from Burma, to stop supplying the military junta with weapons used against its own people and against Indigenous Peoples like the remote Nagas.

NISC appeals to the Chinese Government to show a humane face so the peoples of Burma can be set free and allow the Nagas to reunite so they can peacefully pursue their destiny.

For more information visit www.nagalim.nl or get in touch nisc@nagalim.nl

Fear grips Hindi speakers as orgy continues in Assam By IANS
Guwahati, (IANS) Separatists in Assam have turned the state into a veritable killing field by massacring 27 people, including 19 Hindi speaking migrant workers, in coordinated attacks, sparking off panic and exodus of labourers.
The latest in a wave of brutal attacks on Hindi-speakers was late Friday when heavily armed rebels killed 11 people from two families in Dolamura village in eastern Assam's Karbi Anglong district.
The attacks have triggered fear and panic among hundreds of Hindi speakers, most of them working in brick kilns and doing odd jobs in Assam.
'There is a fear about more such attacks. We are really worried. We have been residing in Assam for decades, but now we don't know whether to stay put or flee to safer areas,' said Harish Tiwari, an elderly businessman originally hailing from Bihar.
On Wednesday, eight Hindi speaking workers were killed in the same district.
The police blamed the attacks on the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF), both working in tandem in parts of Karbi Anglong district.
'The attacks were reminiscent of the one we saw in January, and hence there is panic. Many Hindi speaking families have fled their homes in villages and are taking shelter in towns,' said Manoj Chauhan, another trader in eastern Assam's Golaghat distruct.
ULFA rebels in eastern Assam killed over 80 people, mostly Hindi speakers, in savage attacks in January.
'The militants did not even spare women and children in the last two massacres in which 19 Hindi speaking people lost their lives,' Lajja Ram Bishnoi, deputy inspector general of police in Karbi Anglong district, said over telephone.
'There is no security for people like us and it is better to leave than die here,' said Prakash Sahu, a despondent brick kiln worker.
The death dance began Friday with ULFA rebels killing three people and wounding 10 more in a powerful explosion in the eastern district of Jorhat - in all there have been nine separate blasts across the state so far.
In 2000, ULFA militants killed at least 100 Hindi speaking people in a series of well-planned attacks after the rebel group vowed to free the state of all non-Assamese migrant workers.
Most victims were from Bihar who have made Assam their home for decades.
The state government has sent additional paramilitary troopers to eastern Assam besides launching a military offensive against the rebels.
'We have asked the security forces, including the army, to take effective steps to curb the violence,' Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS.
Gogoi assures Hindi-speakers of addl forces, cash Our Bureau Sentinel
HOWRAGHAT/GUWAHATI, Aug 11: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today met the Hindi-speaking people at the Bokolia PWD inspection bungalow where the Hindi Bhasi Chatra Sanstha and the Hindi Bhasi Sanstha submitted a joint memorandum to him demanding a judicial inquiry into the brutal killing of people at Ampahar, Dengaon and Dalamara villages. They also urged Gogoi for security to life and property of the Hindi-speaking community living in Karbi Anglong, compensation of at least of Rs 5 lakh to each of the killed and Rs 2 lakh to each of the injured, setting up of a permanent CRPF camp at Jengkha under Kheroni police station, upgrading Bokolia police outpost to a full-fledged police station and setting up of police outposts at Shyampathar and Hatidandi areas. Gogoi assured the Hindi-speaking people of deployment of additional forces in the sensitive areas in the district.
It may be mentioned here that Gogoi provided Rs 10,000 to each bereaved family against each victim from the Chief Minister’s Relief fund. He formally announced that the Government would provide a house and Rs 3 lakh to each bereaved family.
Meanwhile, Governor Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh has condemned the killing and said such violence would never help solve any problem, be it political or social.
No let-up in Karbi Hills killing Fifteen killed in last 24 hours Sentinel
DIPHU/HOWRAGHAT/GUWAHATI, Aug 11: Suspected KLNLF militants went on a killing spree at Dalamara village near Shantipur in Karbi Anglong district and mowed down 15 Hindi-speaking people, including a three-month-old child, and injured three others. On the other hand, amidst tight security, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today visited Ampahar village, about 5 km from Bokolia outpost under Howraghat police station.
Suspected militants of the KLNLF in army fatigues raided Dalamora village at 9.45 pm last night. The militants, armed with sophisticated weapons, entered the house of one Ram Naresh Sarma and fired indiscriminately killing five of members of his family. The victims have been identified as Jogesh Kumar (17), Rinki Kumari (12), Niki Kumari (14), Sunita Kumari (19) and Suresh Garh (24). Later, the militants burnt down a rice mill at Golamara Bazaar where six people of the family of Dilip Sahu, owner of the mill, were charred to death. They have been identified as Rekha Devi (29), Jiban Sahu (9), Rohit Sahu (3), Mohit Sahu (3 months), Rajani Kumari (7) and Sanjib Sahu (24). The militants then attacked the residence of one Braja Bhushan Sarma killing Chandrasekhar Sarma (25), Dinonath Sarma (47) and Ramkumar Sarma. Sunu Sahu, Pramila Sahu and Shivan Sahu also sustained injuries in the attack. They have been admitted to the Golaghat Civil Hospital.
Meanwhile, the body of one Suhan Jaishwal was recovered from a place that is 12 km from Golamara. Since the incident took place in a remote village, the police could reach there only this morning. Karbi Anglong SP Anurag Tankha said Army commandoes and paramilitary forces rushed to the place. “A massive combing operation has been launched,” the SP said.
NDFB threatens to reconsider truce
GUWAHATI, Aug 11: The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) today threatened to reconsider its ceasefire agreement with the Centre if the ban on the organization was not withdrawn to speed up the negotiation process.
“The Government will be responsible if the NDFB is compelled to reconsider the ceasefire agreement,” a spokesman of the organization, S Sanjarang, said in a faxed statement to the PTI here. Appealing to the Centre ‘to look into the matter (ban) seriously’, the statement recalled that it was at the invitation of the Government that the NDFB had announced the truce “to create a congenial atmosphere for talks”. As a result of the ban, the NDFB was “restricted from holding public meetings for exchange of views and opinions with the civil Bodo community and intellectuals to speed up the negotiation process,” the statement said. PTI
India seeks to curb insurgency Indo-Burma News
August 10, 2007: (M&G News) New Delhi, India As a part of plans to tackle insurgency in its northeastern region, India has asked neighboring Bangladesh and Myanmar to dismantle the bases of militant groups on their soil and put an end to the influx of their nationals into Indian territory.
In a recent high-level meeting in New Delhi, the Indian Interior Ministry warned Bangladesh against aiding a large number of insurgent groups operating from its soil. Earlier, it spoke to Myanmar on the issue.
'The federal government needs to address the factors behind the steep increase in insurgent activities in poverty-hit northeast region in a holistic manner, taking into account the sentiments of the tribal people that constitute the majority of the population of the region, not just the army,' said Imdad Hussain, professor of history at the North Eastern Hill University.
Hussain`s contention is that there was hardly an attempt to understand the specificity of the problem in the area, saying it was important to ensure the means adopted to achieve the ends must relate to the factors that are the cause of the insurgency in the region.
India`s northeast, home to eight states, has been plagued by insurgency, some of which started when India gained independence in 1947.
Militancy in Nagaland began in 1947, Manipur in 1960 and Assam, the most populous state in the region, in 1979. India blames Bangladeshi infiltrators and the formation of the United Liberation Front of Assam for the problem, but neither the federal nor the state government paid any attention to ULFA at the time. The Bangladeshi influx, India says, fueled a separatist movement among the Bodo tribals. India says the influx reduced the ethnic population to a minority, thereby bolstering resentment against the state.
The government`s ignorance of the growing feelings of neglect and the subsequent growth of militancy in the region also helped a long way in converting the simmering unrest into a full-blown insurgency. The militant activities of various underground groups and ethnic tensions kept the conditions boiling in almost all states of the region.
Networking among various militant groups in the area, support from trans-border bases, concerted efforts to arouse aspirations for self-determination among the local people -- and the state`s attempts to subvert them -- characterized the insurgency in the northeastern states.
Unlike other parts of the country, militancy in the northeast is a complex issue because the change from a largely tribal society to a modern society also played a role in the creation and growth of militancy. India has accused Pakistan`s Inter Service Intelligence of assisting the insurgent groups who often fled to neighboring Bangladesh when the army and security forces launched offensives against their activities. India says ISI has strong links in Bangladesh and supports various militant Islamist groups there.
Adding to the porous border with Bangladesh is the lack of employment opportunities in the private sector that has pushed educated youth into militancy. There exists virtually no industry in the region barring four refineries in Assam and the tea business.
In fact, insurgency in the region has taken such a serious turn it is affecting the very functioning of a democratic state. It has virtually turned into a cottage industry of killing, extortion and kidnapping aimed at making money. The majority of the insurgent outfits in the area are bereft of any ideology.
'What you (the government) needed is an appropriate indigenous policy framework that suits the conditions of the region. That response has to be developed by trial and error, not by entirely what army and central security forces suggest,' said K.P.S. Gill, a former top Indian police chief who is considered to be an expert in dealing with militancy and has also worked in the northeast.
In a bid to alleviate the problems in the region, a department called the Ministry for Development of Northeast was set up in 1999. It was aimed at undertaking economic development of the region. It has started yielding some fruit following the implementation of a few new projects.
But the region faces a new threat: Islamic militancy. New Islamic groups have allied with local insurgent groups, especially the ULFA. The Indian Interior Ministry has taken up this matter with Bangladesh, and the two sides have entered agreements to contain the insurgency.