on the occasion of the rally against the Malevolent Politics of the Government of India (GOI) in North Cachar Hills, Assam on 6 July 2009, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
Dear friends,
At the very outset MSAD would like to express solidarity to the rally against the Malevolent Politics of the Government of India (GOI) in North Cachar Hills, Assam. MSAD is grateful to the Naga Students’ Union Delhi for inviting to a common platform where Northeast peoples could come together on issue of common concern.
MSAD would like to reiterate that in Northeast India there are several administrative jurisdictions where communities co-exist for long period of time and are interdependent. In these jurisdictions, any arbitrary attempt by a particular community to identify its community boundary with administrative boundaries; thereby, excluding territorial rights of the rest of the co-existing communities, necessarily invoke communal feeling and created conflict. In other words, claims and counter-claims over territorial possession among co-existing communities that share common territory has led to killings, destruction of property, eviction or forced displacement of persons, and endless trauma among the victims.
The ongoing conflict in the North Cachar Hills that have led to killing of Zemes and Dimasas and forced eviction of several villages of Zemes constitutes one of the several communal conflicts and displacements that have been taking place in the Northeast over the last few decades. At present hundreds of displaced Zemis are trying to find relief in Nagaland and Manipur states. MSAD can feel the difficulties and hardships that are being faced by the displaced Zemis. In Manipur, several victims of Naga Kuki Clash (1992-1997), Meetei – Panggal Clash (1993), Kuki- Paite Clash (1997-98), and sporadic incidents of cold blooded communal killings have been living without adequate rehabilitation. All these brutal courses of history have resulted into further marginalisation & impoverishment of peasants and workers or marginal villages. Only the Indian ruling class and state corroborated communal agents benefitted from such genocidal criminal assaults.
Having said all these, MSAD, on this occasion, would like to appeal:
- Zemi and Dimasa residents of North Cachar Hills to collectively resolve the matter as they have nothing to gain from prolong communal conflict.
- The Governments of Manipur and Nagaland must provide adequate rehabilitation facility to the displaced Zemis who are seeking relief in these states and attempt should be initiated to resettle them to their original homes.
- Civil societies in Manipur must collectively work towards finding an amicable solution to the issue mentioned above.
Thanking you all who have gathered here today.
Apunbana Yaifarae
Sd/-
Manipur Students’ Association Delhi,
New Delhi.
6 July 2009
—
Apunbana Yaipharae
(Unity is Victory)
Manipur Students’ Association Delhi
(Estd. 1971)
