Headlines       Vol. 1 Issue 42-43

Mar 22- Apr 6,   1999

Militancy in North Cachar Hills Militancy came to N.C. Hills in 1992 when the underground from Nagaland were pushed east-wards due to heavy pressure from the security forces and also due to split in their own organisation. Since then extortion has been the primary mean of funding the underground activities. In order to expend its base and include new area under its extortion drive, this organisation came to an understanding with Dimasas Halgam Daugah (DHD), an underground outfit in the the N.C. Hill. NSCN (IM) militants are Christians from Nagaland and DHD are the Hindus from N.C. Hills. The two are separated by the thick Intanki forests along their common border. The initial understanding was that all the illegal ground work was done by DHD, being the local underground organisation and consequently being more acceptable to local. The NSCN (IM) has kept a watchful eye and has always the masters of Dimasas, who are docile by nature. These underground militant organisations terrorise common masses by violent activities to subjugate them and extort money at will. Recent cases include the brutal killing of a businessman by NSCN (IM) cadres in the main market and killing of market secy. of the Kalachand market in October last by DHD cadres. Since they were unable to pay the huge money demanded by these underground groups, they were killed. Thus a stern message is sent in this inhuman way to the local population to pay, whatever unreasonable demand is made or face consequences. The NSCN (IM) being ethnically different from the Dimasas of N.C. Hills have no love for their commandos in arms of the DHD. They are only interested in their money, which they want to utilise for their cause of securing Greater Nagaland. An interesting thing is that NC Hills is part of Greater Nagaland demand of the NSCN (IM), which means virtual subjugation for the Dimasas at the hands of Nagas. This aspect is not being understood by the poor and simple Dimasas that they paying their hard earned money to become part of Nagaland and to being unjustifiably ruled by more hostile and affluent Nagas. Their own demands of a Dimasa land is in no way being championed by the current extortion drive under way at the behest of the NSCN (IM). The Dimasas do not realise that NSCN (IM) will ultimately stab them in the back. All the people in the NC Hills including the poor are suffering due to the unjustified and excessive demands for money from innocent Dimasas of NC Hills. The irony of the situation is that not only the businessmen, but also the government contractors, government official and even the MLAs are paying the extortionist, document recovered from captured underground indicates their lavish lifestyles shown in the various photographs seized by security forces.

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