New Delhi, June 13 : The Dilip Nunisa faction of Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) today signed a tripartite draft memorandum of settlement with the Centre and the Assam government, paving the way for a final settlement to the Dimasa problem.
Its rival group, led by incarcerated leader Jewel Gorlosa, had signed the draft last year.
Nunisa was accompanied by half-a-dozen associates, including the outfit’s commander-in-chief Pranab Nunisa. “Finally we have signed it, but things remain to be done,” Pranab told this correspondent.
The draft MoS will be sent to the Assam cabinet, which will vet it and then send it to the Union cabinet for clearance. “We may be in a position to sign the final settlement in July,” Pranab added.
On the group’s demands, sources said a process would be initiated on how to include more villages in the Dima Hasao council, but it would still be a long-winding process. Nunisa wants over 90 villages from neighbouring districts to be included in the Dima Hasao council area. Some of these are opposed by the rival Jewel group, they added.
The Dima Hasao (formerly North Cachar Hills) Autonomous Council, had been tainted by an alleged Rs 1,000 crore scam, allegedly involving officials and militants.
The Dimasas may not have got their dream of Dimaraji state or Dimasaland, but negotiations may have brought a semblance of political contentment among the leaders.
Sources said the settlement with the Nunisa group is likely to be on the same lines as with the Karbi group, United Peoples Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), signed less than a year ago.
The DHD reached a settlement within a year of the Karbis signing a tripartite settlement. Under that settlement, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council will become Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC) and four districts would be carved out within its jurisdiction.
The DHD groups, like the UPDS, are expected to dissolve and merge into the political mainstream. Although hiccups are still being encountered in implementing the UPDS MoS, militancy has surely been put aside.
The DHD has received help from unexpected quarters with Bodo leaders like Hagrama Mohiliary, Chandan Brahma and others putting pressure on the government for speedy settlement with the Dimasa groups.
The draft settlement with DHD (Nunisa) comes as the Congress prepares for elections in three Northeast states — Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura — next year. Of these states, Nagaland is also looking at a possible solution with the NSCN (I-M).
Today’s two-hour meeting was led by interlocutor and former Intelligence Bureau chief P.C. Haldar.
It was attended by joint secretary (Northeast) in the home ministry, Shambhu Singh, deputy secretary Ajay Kumar Kanaujia, joint director in the Intelligence Bureau A.K. Mishra and defence ministry officials.
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