AGP MPs blame Army for instigating clashes

Alleging that it was some Army officials who were fomenting communal hatred, leading to group clashes at Doomdooma, ending in the death of seven people, MPs Dr Arun Kumar Sarma and Sarbananda Sonowal demanded an adjournment motion over the issue, but was rejected by the Lok Sabha Speaker. They then rose to speak during Zero Hour, where they accused certain Army officials of instigating the clashes. They also said the Assam government has “totally and miserably failed” to handle the situation and demanded Central action to maintain law and order in the state. The MPs said the highway blockade was “largely attended, spontaneous and a democratic protest against security high handedness during counter insurgency operations in Assam.” They also called on the Centre to immediately resume the process of peace talks with the militant ULFA.

Dr Sarma and Sonowal stated in a press note that the killing of Buddheswar Moran on May 5 led to a week long highway blockade at Doomdooma and falling victim to “mismanagement and chaotic handling of the situation by the police and civil officials, leading to the death of seven more innocents.”

Sonowal, said: “The Army has made it a habit of killing innocents and later apologizing.” He cited the cases of Ajit Moran, six-year-old child Debojit Moran and lately, Buddheswar Moran, to justify his comment. Three days after Buddheswar Moran was killed in cold blood, the General Office Commanding of the Dinjan-based Dah Division of the Army, Major General N C Marwah told newsmen at Tinsukia that his killing “was unfortunate”, and that an internal inquiry will be instituted to find out the facts. He assured the Army inquiry to be swift and impartial.

With thousands of the civilian population sloganeering that Buddheswar Moran was not a militant, the Army has found itself in a spot. One piece of information that is emanating from Doomdooma is that the Army has lately obtained a document signed by some residents of Buddheswar Moran’s native village, Bishnupur (12 kms from Doomdooma town), certifying that he was hand in glove with the militants. Of course, leaders of various groups, including PCPIA, AASU, AJYCP and others say this is not correct, and that the villagers may have signed under duress. With such contradictory versions abounding, it is difficult to find out the truth, as of now. One hopes the Army’s own internal inquiry would unravel the truth and make this information public, instead of having it filed away as “classified” or under some provisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or the Disturbed Areas Act, whereby civilian transgression into security matters is frowned upon.

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