Skip to content Skip to navigation

Peace returns on Assam-Mizoram border

By Daya Nath Singh |
With the joining main stream of the nation by more than three hundred ULFBV militants at the end of September last, the situation on the borders of Assam and Mizoram is likely to be peaceful. The efforts of the Hailakandi district administration and other agencies have done a commendable job to bring the militants on the right path. The situation on the inter-state borders of the southern Assam and Tripura's northern part with Mizoram was explosive for a long time after the Reangs tribal began their struggle for identity and existence, when they were driven out of Mizoram by the activists of Mizo Students Association (MSA) and Mizo Zirai Pawl (MZP). This led the Reangs to shift their activities on the borders of these states adjoining Mizoram. A number of refugee camps were established in the state of Tripura. Negotiations between the governnments of Tripura and Mizoram took long time to finalize the issue of Reang refugees' rehabilitation within Mizoram, but an amicable solution to the issue did not come out. The result was the increasing illegal activities of the Reangs on the border areas with Assam.

In the meantime, the Reangs formed a militant organization on the style of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), in the name of United Liberation Front of Barak Valley (ULFBV), to get their demands fulfilled. This organization was formed in the year 2001 and its area of operation was the districts of Hailakandi and Karimganj of Assam. They had started looting, kidnapping of businessmen for ransom. The aims and objectives of the ULFBV were to protect the Reang community and safeguard the interest of the community against the atrocities of the Mizos and the Muslims.

The organization also demanded a separate Zila Parishad for the tribal community in the Barak Valley. The Reangs demanded the restoration of land to the tribal people.

Among their various demands was also demand for payment of ex-gratia to their activists who lost their lives. Their demand included general amnesty and peace negotiation process to be done at the ministry level in presence of Central home ministry representative.

The ULFBV declared unilateral cease-fire with effect from 7th June 2008, with a view to solve their problems through negotiations with the government. Their cadres surrendered on 30th September 2008 at a function held at Guwahati and deposited large number of arms and ammunition at the time of joining the main stream.

It may be mentioned here that ever since the Reangs, the minority community in Mizoram raised their voice for an autonomous council for themselves under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India and re-entry of deleted names in the electoral rolls, they were subjected to unbearable oppressions by the MSA and MZP. The predicament of the Reangs began long ago when Mizos compelled them to get converted to Christianity. Although a number of them succumbed to such pressure, it did not improve their status. About sixty percent of them had been converted and forced to accept Mizo names and language as medium of education. Their culture practices were obstructed and they found their identity being threatened by the Mizos. About twenty thousand Reangs were alleged to have deprived of their rights to franchise through deleting their names from the voters list of Mizoram.

Comments

abhijit acharjee's picture

Submitted by abhijit acharjee on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 17:30
The Reangs & the other inhabitants of Tripura, both Bengalis and Tripuris, have shared a long history of coexistence for centuries since the first dispersed from their original home land in the Chittagong hills in Bangladesh. The present state of deprivation that they are going through is therefore indeed lamentable. It is also to be noticed that not much serious effort has been made to under take an academic inquiry in the the socio-politico-economic condition of this dislocated ethnic community. I am presently pursuing my MA from Jadavpur university and Harbour interests in the field of diaspora studies and I wish to take up the immigration history of the Reang community as an area of research. I am desperately in need of help from people who have some experience in this regard.any kid of help is most welcome. My email id: abhiacharjee@gmail.com

Pages

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Security of people's life and property whose concern?

It is strange in a state like Assam that the government fails to provide full security and safety to the people's life and property and at the same time, it does not allow the citizens to 'purchase' it from other sources. It is alleged by different sections of the people that they are victim of the double standard of the state government. They allege that neither the government provides them security nor it allows them to get from other sources. Although the state government has claimed from time to time having provided full security, the actual position appears too far from such claims. Reports of killing, abduction and different modes of violence are coming out unabated almost every day...

First phase of IRV 2020 a great success, says PCCF, Assam

Under the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV2020) plan about 3,000 wild rhinos are to be translocated in seven protected areas of Assam by the year 2020. This was disclosed to a group of journalists, who visited the Manas National Park on April 12 last, to have a glance of first batch of translocated rhinos from Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district, under the scheme. Two rhinos were brought to Manas National Park from the Pabitora on 12th morning. IRV 2020 is an ambitious programme of the Government of Assam in collaboration with World Wildlife Foundation India supported by the International Rhino Foundation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Its main objective is to increase the...

Purno Sangma opts for a crucial job

Purno Agitok Sangma, a veteran politician, Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker, who opted for return to the state politics, has a very important and crucial role to play in Meghalaya. With formation of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA), which took the rein of state administration on March 19 last, Sangma has the responsibility to head the State Planning Board. The post of the Chairman of the Planning Board is considered to the rank of the Chief Minister.The MPA is an alliance of 31 members, in which the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is the largest partner with 14 members. The United Democratic Party (UDP) has 11and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) only...

All out in nine days

It was in Meghalaya, a nine days drama in power. The recent Assembly elections did not give a clear mandate to any political party. The Hung House compelled the political rivals to forge alliances, which came into existence in the form of Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) led by the Congress Party and the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA), a combination of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), United Democratic Party (UDP) and others. Both the alliances claimed to form the government and approached the Governor, S.S.Sidhu with their claims. Since the Congress Party was the largest single party with 25 members, it was allowed to form the government and prove the confidence of the House within...

Entry of private banks in rural areas opposed

All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association (AIRRBEA) has opposed the entry of foreign and private banks in rural areas. Criticizing the announcement of Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, in his recent budget speech in the Parliament, the AIRRBEA general secretary Dilip Kumar Mukherjee said that his organization did not agree on minister's proposal as this attempt would 'take away' the basic fabric of the agricultural character of the country and make the entire 'Green field' into 'Gray field'. He was addressing the media persons recently at Guwahati Press Club.The AIRRBEA representing majority of the officers and employees of the country strongly opposed the move of Government...

Patharighat remembers Martyrs

Army's Red Horn Division organized a public rally on 29 January 2008 at Patharighat in Darrang district, bout 70 kilometers away from the state capital Guwahati, to pay homage to the martyrs, who had laid down their lives in supreme sacrifice while protesting against the brutalities and oppressive rule of the Britishers in January 1894. Major Gen. Gyan Bhushan, AVSM,VSM of Red Horn Division was the chief guest at the function.It may be mentioned here that at Patherighat on 28 January 1894, the farmers of the village protested against unjustified increase in land revenue by the erstwhile British Empire. The farmers belonging to various castes, creed and religion had risen against the British...

Children in need of care and protection

Seven years ago from now eight street children were picked up from Guwahati Railway Station by a noble person dedicated to the service of humanity. These children were rehabilitated in a hut in Dhirenpara locality of the city. This rehabilitation centre named 'Snehalaya' (House of affection) became operational on January1, 2001. 'Snehalaya' is an out-reach programme of the Don Bosco Educational Society for rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection. With the motto 'to take them off the street and put them on their feet', Fr Lukose Cheruvalel, SDB, the Founder Director of Snehalaya started living with those children. He was loved by the children by the core of their heart...

Police chief speaks on human rights

Complaints of human rights violation are very common now days. Allegations and counter allegations are pouring almost every day from various corners of the northeastern region. The root cause of such violations is the growing militancy in the area. In order to curb militant activities the security forces have to do combing operations in different part of the region. The militants some how try to establish their hideouts in the interior areas.In order to escape from the clutches of security forces the ultras engage themselves in firing on their targets, the security forces. The security forces, in retaliation, though take every care to protect civilians a few incidents of casualty occur,...

What ails Northeast development?

The industrial development in India has been dependent on the political influence and leadership ever since independence. It was because of the fact that no fair policy could be framed for equal development of all the regions of the country simultaneously. That is why some of the areas remained completely neglected and the others developed beyond limit resulting in heavy congestion. Besides, the metropolis and a few big industrial centers where opportunities are ample for industrial growth, there is vast disparity in the growth of industries in various regions. The industrialization of a particular area depends on the degree of political influence it has in its favour. A few industries...

PMGSY at snail pace in Northeastern region

The Central government is giving top priority to the development of the Northeastern region, as this region continues to be backward in comparison to other parts of the country even after sixty years of independence. There are several reasons for its backwardness, prominent among them are lack of perfect leadership and will power to implement the centrally sponsored schemes. The growing unemployment has bred the menace of insurgency in the entire region. Violence continues unabated affecting even the meager developmental activities. Reluctance of skilled workforce and technicians to work under 'security threat' has adversely affected developmental activities.With the primary objective of...