CAREER COUNSELLING AT DIYUNGBRA

In a bid to sensitise students on various career opportunities .North East Youth Foundation (NEYF) had organised a Career Counselling Programme at St Xavier’s School in Diyungbra in the Dima Hasao District on 19th March. The career counselling programme was first of its kind as for the first time this kind of programme was organised in the school campuses which was founded in 2001. Programme was inaugurated by Fr Arul Soosai, Principal of the school and facilitated and moderated by Ranjan K Baruah of NEYF.  Various career opportunities were discussed by the resource person apart from providing information to students about their dream profession. Al together 60 students participated in the programme and they interacted with the resources person and got information on various requirements for becoming successful in life. NEYF and St Xavier’s shall organise more of such programme for the students in the locality in coming days as this kind of programme helps the students in their career planning.

Indigenous People’s Forum to boycott polls

 HAFLONG:March 14 – Threatening to boycott the ensuing Assembly election, the Indigenous People’s Forum (IPF) communities of NC Hills in the 16 Haflong (ST) Assembly Constituency has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner, New Delhi, recently.

The memorandum maintained that the Dimasas constituted barely 35% of the total voters in the district Electoral Rolls-2008, published by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, NC Hills in 2008. In collusion with the Group of Ministers constituted by the Governor of Assam, it went ahead without the consent of the apex bodies of other communities and changed the nomenclature of NC Hills to ‘Dima Hasao District’ just to appease one particular community, i.e. the Dimasas.

Since the changing of the nomenclature of NC Hills, they, the Indigenous People’s Forum (indigenous non-Dimasa communities) had been demanding bifurcation of NC Hills into two autonomous districts-one for the Dimasas and the other for the non-Dimasas under the Articles 244(2) and 275(1) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

It is noteworthy that through the Governor’s notification, a Cabinet .Sub-Committee (Group of Ministers) was set up way back in July 16 last year in recognition of the demands and aspirations of the non-Dimasa communities living in NC Hills (now Dima Hasao). But not a single meeting between the IPF and Cabinet sub-Committee has been conducted till date.

Subsequently, a task force under the chairmanship of PP Verma, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam was constituted. As such, the task force immediately started collecting the population census of the proposed demand areas of the IPF through the student wing of the IPF.

However, the data duly collected by the IPF have been rejected by the task force citing inconsistencies in the data time and again even after repeated corrections and adjustments.

Constant delays by the Government and indifferent attitude towards its demand for bifurcation have made the IPF doubt the sincerity of the Government in its approach towards addressing the democratic and rightful demands of the IPF, whereby compelling the Indigenous People’s Forum (non-Dimasa communities of NC Hills) to take the extreme step of boycotting the forthcoming Assembly election of Assam in the demand area under the 16 Haflong (ST) Assembly Constituency.

The IPF communities of NC Hills therefore humbly request you to kindly influence the Government of Assam to immediately attend to our demand for bifurcation of the district under the above mentioned Articles of the Constitution of India, the memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner concluded.

36 HOURS BAND IN DIMAHASAO DISTRICT

In protest against the custodial death of Wari Dimasa, DHD(J) cadre by Dogra Regiment, camp Thaizuari, the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) calls for a 36 hours Dima Hasao Bandh starting from 5 AM of March 14th (Tomorrow).

They are demanding Arrest of the commanding officer of Dogra regiment and compensation of 5 lakhs rupees to the family and 3. Withdrawal of the Dogra regt from Dima Hasao District.

Mentionably,One Wari Dimasa @ Thangben Kemprai, 19, a cadre of Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel)son of Pelen Kemprai of Mojowari under Diyungbra died in Army custody, the relatives alleged.

According to his relative Kemprai had gone to his home on leave for 7 days, but he became late to return to the designated camp. On March 9, jawans of 16 Dogra Posted at Thaizuari brought him from his house and later informed the relatives Kemprai died.

SOURCE:ASSAM TIMES

PEOPLE THREATEN TO BOYCOTT THE ELECTION

The North Cachar Hills (Now Dima Hasao) BG Railway Line Compensation Demand Committee has threatened to boycott the forthcoming Assembly Election 2011 if the Railway authority fails to pay the compensations to the 245 affected families due to BG conversion of Dautuhaja area of Dima Hasao district.

The Dima Hasao District (erstwhile N.C. Hills) was the part of Cachar District to the North which came into existence well before the Indian Independence. During the British era its total geographical area was recorded 4898 sq. km with total population about  1, 20,000 or more in the then united Mikir Hills and N.C. Hills amalgamated district of which the former is presently nomenclature as Karbi Anglong and the later now known as Dima Hasao. Then both the regions were under the single administration unit and control. After the attainment of Independence, these both sections were subsequently being provided the provisions for creation of Autonomous District Council and were separated under the name of Karbi Anglong District and N. C. Hills District. With the fulfillment of all the requirements and standards the Government of India and Assam under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India accordingly within the limitation of geographical boundaries entitle and entrust all the land as own by the hills tribal people as per the deals to the Land and Revenue Department under the Administrative control of the Autonomous Council of N. C. Hills and Karbi Anglong respectively.

Owing to self governance and lack of higher initiatives the district is dragging behind in heap and bound in compare to its neighboring districts. The Dimasa people which being the major tribe and inhabitants of the districts with all and almost all of the Villages being established 120 years ago are mostly dependent on dry agricultural productivities and wet paddy land. Jhum Cultivation being the part and parcel of the entire populace of the district irrespective of caste and creed is the only source of economic; dependence.

The affected villagers in the ongoing B.C. Line conversion in the district are very poor and are all dependent in forest products, valuable trees and bamboos etc. which serve as the only source of income for us. Depriving them of such possessions is an unthinkable and unfathomable step that is also without any proper recompense of at all and in any form or kind.

The Autonomous Council was constituted under the provision of the Sixth Schedule and Article 244 of the constitution to safeguard, protect and for the upliftment of the downtrodden tribal people living in this district of N.C. Hills (now Dima Hasao) and accordingly the District Council had formulated Customary Law and other Civil Law from time to time. In this regard it is to be mentioned here that the District Council has set up a Revenue & Settlement Department to regularize the land under the jurisdiction of the N.C. Hills Autonomous Council. Accordingly the Revenue & Settlement Department after proper verification under provision of the Constitution of the District Council thereby issued Pattas to the villagers as a proof of ownership of land and realized land revenue taxes annually. Further, according to the Constitution of the District Council formed under the provision of the Sixth Schedule and the Customary Laws of the Land, any persons who occupies a land and construct houses and formed village or residing in that particular land for more than 1 (one) year cannot be dispossessed from that particular land without giving a proper compensation. In this regard a Resolution was adopted in the ALL INDIA REVENUE MINISTER CONFERENCE held on Dated 15-03-204 at New Delhi, wherein it was stated in the Resolution No. 4 that no any person residing in the tribal area for more than 1 (one) year should be evicted from the possession of the land belonging to the State Government or Central Government without giving proper compensation and rehabilitation.

 SOURCE: ASSAM TIMES

DIMA HASAO FEARS VIOLENCE

HAFLONG:

The DIMA HSAO Autonomous Council (DHAC) has condemned law enforcing authorities for failing to put a halt to violence by unidentified miscreants in Haflong of  Dima Hasao district. The DHAC officials also expressed concern over the persistence of the situation in the area which might disrupt the assembly elections in April.

Haflong has seen several incidents of violence during the last few days. A grenade was defused on Thursday morning at the residence of Mayanon Kemprai, an executive member of the Haflong council. Another grenade attack was reported from the house of Subrata Hojai, an executive member, on Wednesday.

"We condemn such acts of miscreants who are trying to disturb peace in the district. The more serious concern is that no one has been able to nab the culprits. Security mechanisms and the state government have failed to curb crime in the area," said the chairman of the council, Depolal Hojai, addressing a press meet in the city on Thursday. "We want an immediate solution to the problem. The law enforcement agencies and the central government should find a permanent solution to check the formation of groups that can disturb peace in the district and affect development work here," Hojai said urging the central government to expedite the process of peace talks.

BOMB BLAST AT HAFLONG COUNCIL

Bomb blast took place at Haflong Council in the evining around 6:30pm today.

No casualties as far the information received.It is said that no one know who had put the bomb or the information is yet  to reveal the involvement of the incident.

CENTRE CLEARS PROSECUTION OF DIMA HASAO ENGINEER.

The Centre has approved prosecution of an engineer in connection with the multi crore scam. According to home ministry sources, NIA probing the terror funding cases in NC Hills gets green signal to prosecute an engineer Karuna Saikia in this connection where funds meant for poor people has been siphoned off and part of swindled fund reached DHD-J.
source:assam times

NO ENTHUSIASM IN ELECTIONEERING IN DIMA HASAO

When the entire state is getting ready for the ensuing Assembly election, here in Dima Hasao, the lone 16-Haflong (ST) constituency, no enthusiasm was observed till the date.
Because—Lone constituency, more over the people are interested in Autonomous Council and above all the ruling Congress (I) last time denied the ministry for the lone MLA of Dima Hasao. People said only one MLA out of 126 MLAs in the state cannot raise the voice of the people. This way, the existing MLA was helpless to provide benefit to the people of the district.
The people of Harangajao, alleged they never saw the MLA within last five years. The MLA never raised any voice for the people of Harangajao. They were suffering a lot for the lack of road, medical care etc.The Hafong – Silchar road is prime means of communication for the people of Harangajao. But due to wanton earth cutting in the name of BG construction, Haflong- Silchar remains in dilapidated condition for a long time.
The people of Gunjung and Dehangi alleged most of the political leaders come to them only before the election but after winning they disappear like anything. They promise a lot during the election but never try to address their grievances. Some say they even don’t know the name of their MLA. All the offices here are lying as cowshed. The weeds have engulfed the office building and even the quarter of the staffs. The condition of PHE, PWD, Soil Conservation, High School building, Veterinary etc are in dilapidated condition. The medical facilities are also inadequate. This centre cannot provide minimum basic needs of the people. The Dehangi High School and hostel building are in deplorable condition.
source:assam times