UKHRUL: Following the recent signing of the Memorandum of Settlement between the Government of Assam and the Kuki armed groups, the Rengma Naga People’s Organisation, Karbi Anglong, Assam, has issued opposition to any settlement affecting the Rengma ancestral land.
In a press statement issued on Friday, the RNPC stated that it opposes the MoS clause signed between the Government of Assam and Kuki armed groups on the creation and reservation of two Member of Autonomous Council (MAC) constituencies within the Rengma ancestral areas of the erstwhile East and West Rengma Mouza and any settlement of displaced families of ethnic violence 2003-2004 in Rengma ancestral land.
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Stating that the present Kuki-inhabited areas fall within the erstwhile West Rengma Mouza, historically part of the Rengma ancestral domain, the Rengma apex body asserted that any political arrangement or settlement without the consent of the indigenous Rengma people is unacceptable. Also, it stated that their ancestral land cannot be used for political negotiation or appeasement, and that their rights and aspirations remain unaddressed.
While stating that it is not against any community and wishes peace and development for the Kuki community, the RNPC asserted that it firmly opposes any political restructuring, rehabilitation, or settlement within the Rengma ancestral land without prior consultation and consent. The council also referred to historical records, including 19th-century demarcations of Rengma Hills and Mouza boundaries, affirming Rengma’s traditional occupation of the area.
The RNPC has urged the Government of Assam and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to ensure that no decision affecting Rengma ancestral land is taken without due consultation, warning that such a move would be resisted through democratic and constitutional means.
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It may be mentioned that the Assam government on Sunday had signed memorandums of settlement (MoS) with three Kuki and a Hmar militant group. With the signing of the MoS, the Assam government had claimed to have brought the ethnic militancy issue in Assam to an end.
According to the settlement, two development councils will be formed- the Hmar Welfare Development Council and the Kuki Welfare Development Council in the Hmar and Kuki-dominated areas, respectively. It had also agreed that the cadres will be rehabilitated and the families of those killed will be compensated.
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The councils, headquartered at Guwahati, will have budgetary support from the state government based on their requirements.
In addition to the Rengma Naga People’s Council, other groups in Assam, including the Dimasa Hasao, have opposed the MoS signed between the government and the Kuki and Hmar armed groups. The Dimasa Hasao have expressed deep concern regarding the possible impact on their land, rights, and future.