GUWAHATI, Nov 11 – A round-table discussion on the Dimasa problem, organized by the Guwahati-based Centre for Development and Peace Studies (CPDS) today, called upon the government and civil society to initiate steps to hold peace talks jointly with both the DHD factions to usher in lasting peace in the Dima Hasao area.
The round-table also demanded that the government facilitate proper political representation of the people by granting a separate Lok Sabha seat, besides increasing the number of Assembly constituencies through further delimitation.
The meet was attended by leading organizations representing Dimasa and non-Dimasa groups in Dima Hasao district as well as in the neighbouring districts of Karbi Anglong, Cachar and Nagaon. Some of the groups that attended the meeting included All Dimasa Students' Union, Dimasa Sahitya Sabha, Dimasa People's Council, Joint Action Committee of Dimaraji Movement, Indigenous Confederation of Indian Tribal People, All Dimasa Women Forum, Kuki Political Affairs for Dimaraji Movement, and Jayantia Youth Federation.
Leading journalists and thinkers, including Samudra Gupta Kashyap of The Indian Express, Prasanta Rajguru, executive editor of Amar Asom, Prashanta J Baruah, executive editor of The Assam Tribune, Col Manoranjan Goswami, former DGP GM Srivastava, former Chief Secretary HN Das, and Shrutimala Duara of Handique Girls' College also attended the conference.
Speaking on the occasion, Dilip Diphusa, advisor, All Dimasa Students' Union, advocated creation of a territorial council by including the contiguous Dimasa areas outside Dima Hasao district and creating some sort of 'satellite development councils' for Dimasas in other Dimasa-inhabited areas. He also said that there should be adequate constitutional safeguards for the non-Dimasa groups in the council.
Samudra Gupta Kashyap stressed the need for special provisions for financial accountability in the new arrangement that would come up after the peace agreement.
Uttam Bathari, Assistant Director, Indian Council for Historical Research-NE region said the Government should provide a politico-administrative platform for participatory governance by all groups in the area.
Kashyap said that the majority Dimasas should have no problem if the non-Dimasas were given safeguards in the new agreement.
CDPS director Wasbir Hussain welcomed the guest and presented an overview of the Dimasa problem and the road ahead.
The round table adopted four resolutions. The first one called upon the Government at the Centre and the State to ensure a "time-bound, acceptable, honourable solution" for fulfilling the hopes of the Dimasas as well as other ethnic groups who had been living in peace and harmony for decades.
The second resolution urged the Government and its peace negotiators to take into account the views and opinions of all dominant democratic groups and organizations, which have been pushing for the interest of the people of one of the most underdeveloped areas in the country, before signing a peace agreement.
The third resolution appealed to the Government and civil society to bring both the DHD factions together so that they could sit jointly in peace talks with the Government in a bid to bring lasting peace in the area.
By the fourth resolution, the round table called upon the Government to ensure that the interests of the Dimasa people living in areas outside the jurisdiction of Dima Hasao district as also of the non-Dimasas inside Dima Hasao be considered while reaching a peace agreement.
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