But the sudden decision of the State Government to rename the district as Dima Hasao Raji has once again revived the ethnic divide. The Dimasas and the non Dimasas are on war path. The 24-hour bandh called by NC Hills Indigenous Students’ Forum beginning from Friday dawn to protest against the new nomenclature of the district has created volatile situation.
In fact, till the signing of the peace accord between the government and DHD (J), the biggest tribal groups of the district had been falling victims to attacks and counter attacks by armed men belonging to both the communities. More than hundred people were killed in the clashes. The provocation among others was the result of the Dimasa group pressing for a change in the name of NC Hills district as proposed by DHD (J) while the Zeme Naga Council opposed the proposition.
Zeme Naga Council apprehended it was a ploy to drive the non Dimasas out of the district. J Zeme, secretary of the Council in a representation to the Union Home Secretary GK Pillai during his meeting with representatives of the Council at Guwahati on July 31, 2009 urged him not to change the name of the district who assured them of necessary action in this regard.
In view of the opposition of the non Dimasa tribal groups, the State Government constituted a three-member cabinet sub committee headed by Dinesh Prasad Goala, Minister of Urban Development in July last year to examine the issue. One of the key demands raised by the Jewel faction was for renaming the district. After examining all aspects and recording the views and opinions of the various ethnic tribal groups during its sittings at Haflong, the sub committee submitted its report to the State Government.
The report cited a number of difficulties in changing the name because non Dimasas constitute the majority in North Cachar Hills. After submitting the report, Goala went on record to say before the media, “We have examined every aspect of the proposal to rename the district. We have pointed out the difficulties because the Dimasas constitute only 43 per cent of the total population”. The other members of the committee included Ministers- Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rockybul Hussain. PK Bora was the convener of the committee.
It was admitted that renaming the district would only escalate ethnic tension. It will only disturb the fragile peace. The signal that emerged from Dispur then suggested the government was unlikely to go against the cabinet sub committee report. Apprehension was sounded about adverse reaction from other tribal groups- Hmars, Kukis, Baites, Karbis, Hrangkhwals, Vaipheis and Nagas. The State Government, it appears, took different decision without taking the Union Home Ministry into confidence.
Significantly, Dilip Munisa who headed the other faction of Dima Halam Daogah, on the other hand, favoured Dimaraji as the homeland for Dimasas and the non Dimasa tribal groups as well as the Bengali and Hindi speaking people. He is on record to say, “Our demand is Dimaraji which will be our own homeland, Heremba Rajya that was integrated in the British empire in three phases in 1832, 1835 and 1854.”
Heremba Rajya, he pointed, included Cachar, North Cachar Hills, part of Nagaon and Dayung Dhansiri Valley in Nagaland. He added to say Dimasa heritage is as old as Mahabharat linked with Bhima, the second Pandav, from whose marriage with Hidimba was born Ghototkoch who was their first ruler. The Dimasa state came to be known as Heremba Rajya, he explained. The decision of the State Government from all accounts seems to be based on political expediency rather than the ground realities.
Source: The Sentinel