News Analysis India

Tag: Karbi Anglong

  • Abandoned girl child from Assam adopted by Spanish professor

    By PTI

    DIPHU: Abandoned at birth by her biological parents, a two-year-old child from a remote area in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district has found home in distant Spain with a professor from the European country formally adopting her on Tuesday.

    Maria Emngal Rams arrived at Dhansiri town of this hill district early on Tuesday morning and took custody of the minor after spending more than two months for paperwork and other formalities.

    “The adoption process was done through CARA and after approving and verifying all documents, we handed the child to her new mother at a function here,” Sanju Bora, founder member of ‘Mission Concern’, an adoption agency where the child was staying, said.

    The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body of the union ministry of women and child development which functions as the nodal body to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.

    The adoption agency official said the child was brought to Mission Concern two years ago in a serious condition.

    She was abandoned by the roadside and ants had bitten through her flesh severely.

    She was provided with medical treatment and care under the supervision of Ambika, whom the children at the center fondly refer to as ‘Maa’ (mother).

    The infant returned from the brink of death and grew into a healthy child, the official added.

    An emotional Ambika, who is also the chairman of Mission Concern which has been working with orphaned children in the area since 2008 said, “My gratitude to the people like Maria. A child who was left to die by the roadside at one time will now be a citizen of Spain thanks to such benevolent people,” she said.

    Bora said foreigners do not hesitate to adopt children who have disabilities or previous medical conditions.

    “Maria arrived with her sister Sonia and a translator Jamal Mursen and has now taken custody of the child. We organised a small function on the occasion in our center, which was attended by the top brass of the district civil and police administration,” he said.

    District superintendent of police Sanjib Kumar Saikia and extra assistant commissioner Nupur Bora formally handed the adoption papers to Maria Rams, Bora added.

    DIPHU: Abandoned at birth by her biological parents, a two-year-old child from a remote area in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district has found home in distant Spain with a professor from the European country formally adopting her on Tuesday.

    Maria Emngal Rams arrived at Dhansiri town of this hill district early on Tuesday morning and took custody of the minor after spending more than two months for paperwork and other formalities.

    “The adoption process was done through CARA and after approving and verifying all documents, we handed the child to her new mother at a function here,” Sanju Bora, founder member of ‘Mission Concern’, an adoption agency where the child was staying, said.

    The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body of the union ministry of women and child development which functions as the nodal body to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.

    The adoption agency official said the child was brought to Mission Concern two years ago in a serious condition.

    She was abandoned by the roadside and ants had bitten through her flesh severely.

    She was provided with medical treatment and care under the supervision of Ambika, whom the children at the center fondly refer to as ‘Maa’ (mother).

    The infant returned from the brink of death and grew into a healthy child, the official added.

    An emotional Ambika, who is also the chairman of Mission Concern which has been working with orphaned children in the area since 2008 said, “My gratitude to the people like Maria. A child who was left to die by the roadside at one time will now be a citizen of Spain thanks to such benevolent people,” she said.

    Bora said foreigners do not hesitate to adopt children who have disabilities or previous medical conditions.

    “Maria arrived with her sister Sonia and a translator Jamal Mursen and has now taken custody of the child. We organised a small function on the occasion in our center, which was attended by the top brass of the district civil and police administration,” he said.

    District superintendent of police Sanjib Kumar Saikia and extra assistant commissioner Nupur Bora formally handed the adoption papers to Maria Rams, Bora added.

  • Assam: Counting underway for Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council elections

    By ANI

    KARBI ANGLONG: The counting of votes for Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) elections are underway.

    According to the reports, the ruling BJP is leading in 23 out of 26 Council seats in the initial trend.

    The fate of 154 candidates who contested in the KAAC elections will be declared on Sunday and the counting of votes are underway at Diphu, Bokajan and Hamren.

    The district administration of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong district has arranged tight security measures and put up strict supervision for the counting process.

    Notably, violence had erupted at two polling booths under Duar Amla council constituency in West Karbi Anglong district on Wednesday during the KAAC election, said police.

    According to the police, an irate mob destroyed ballot boxes of two polling booths and also had set a large number of ballot papers. Security personnel were forced to fire in air to control the situation. Heavy security personnel were deployed in the area following the incident.

    Re-polling at two polling booths was held on June 10.

    The Karbi Anglong district is one of the 34 administrative districts of Assam, Diphu is its administrative headquarter and is administered by Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council according to the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

    (With online desk inputs)

  • Huge cache of arms, ammunition found in Assam’s Karbi Anglong

    By PTI

    DIPHU: A huge cache of arms and ammunition, suspected to be of militant outfit KDLF, was recovered from a forest area in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, police said on Sunday.

    The arms and ammunition were found buried in the forest behind a botanical garden near the Diphu-Lumding Road, they said.

    The police acted on a tip-off that arms and ammunition were hidden there by Karbi Democratic Liberation Front (KDLF) self-styled chairman Jackson Ronghang, who was killed in a gunfight with security forces in December last year, said Diphu police station officer in charge JS Khobung.

    Police have been searching the area for the arms and it were finally discovered on Saturday afternoon, he said.

    No arrests have been made so far in connection with the recoveries, he added.

    Among those recovered are a .22 rifle, a .303 rifle, a hand-made pistol, several grenades and detonators, magazines and explosives of different kinds.

  • Centre signs ‘historic’ peace pact with five insurgent groups of Assam

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The Centre on Saturday signed a peace accord with five armed groups based in Assam’s Karbi Anglong.

    The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and top leaders of the five outfits, which joined the mainstream last year after laying down weapons.

    Shah as well as Sarma described the day as “historic”. “… Modi government is committed to resolving the decades-old crisis, ensuring the territorial integrity of Assam,” the Home Minister tweeted.

    Stating that peace is returning to Karbi Anglong after a long time, he said at the agreement-signing programme that since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014, he (Modi) started working for peace, progress and development of the Northeast.

    “I have closely followed his efforts, as the BJP president and the Home Minister. September 4 will be written in golden letters in the history of Assam and Karbi Anglong. One thousand members of five armed groups have laid down weapons and joined the mainstream,” Shah said.

    The signing of Karbi-Anglong Agreement is another milestone in PM @narendramodi ji’s vision of “Insurgency free Prosperous North East”.Over 1000 armed cadres have abjured violence and joined the mainstream of society, which reflects their trust in PM Modi ji’s leadership. pic.twitter.com/AKK7iosquQ
    — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 4, 2021
    He said the Assam government and the Centre were fully committed to the rehabilitation of the members of these groups.

    “I commit to the leaders of the five Karbi groups and CM Himanta that we will fulfill all clauses of the agreement within the time that we have set. I have already discussed the issue of rehabilitation with the CM,” Shah said, pointing out that nearly 80% of the clauses of the agreements, signed with displaced Brus, erstwhile insurgent group National Liberation Front of Tripura and Bodos earlier, had been implemented.

    The Assam CM assured that the state government would implement all the clauses of the pact. He said it would set up a committee to study the demand for notifying Karbi language as an associate language in the state.

    “Vast areas of Northeast come under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution but there is no system of reservation. For the first time, the Karbis and the Scheduled Tribe people will get reservations in (autonomous) Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC),” he said.

    ALSO READ | COVID-19: Those unvaccinated in Assam will be deprived of

    According to some key points of the “Memorandum of Settlement”, a committee shall assess the rehabilitation needs of the members of the armed groups based on age profile, educational qualification, the general area of residence, etc.

    The criminal cases registered against them for non-heinous offences will be withdrawn as per the procedure established by law. The cases registered will be reviewed on a case to case basis according to the existing policy on the subject.

    The Assam government will provide financial compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each of the next of kin of persons who died in agitations related to the Autonomous State demand and have not yet been compensated.

    The Centre may allocate Rs 500 crore (Rs 100 crore per annum) for the development of infrastructure in the KAAC area. Additionally, it will contribute Rs 500 crore (Rs 100 crore per annum) to the development of the area.

    The government will ensure greater devolution of autonomy to KAAC. It will also ensure the protection of identity, language, culture, etc of the Karbi people, rehabilitate the members of the armed groups and work for the focussed development of the KAAC area without affecting the territorial and administrative integrity of Assam.

    The Centre may expedite passage of the Constitution (125 Amendment) Bill, 2019 which proposes to rename KAAC as Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council and increase the number of members to not more than 50, of whom, six members, including at least two women members, will be nominated by the Governor. The rest of the members will be elected on the basis of adult suffrage.

    The KAAC has 44 seats and the Central and Assam governments will take the necessary steps to reserve 34 of them for STs and 10 seats under the open category for all communities.

    The two governments may consider enhancing budgetary provisions for KAAC to undertake development activities keeping in view the population and topography of the area.

    District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police of the districts within KAAC will be posted in consultation with the Chief Executive Member of KAAC. The Assam government shall create a post of Deputy Inspector General of Police, exclusively for the hill districts.

    The Government of India will examine the demand for notifying Karbis living outside the KAAC area as ST in Assam. Similarly, the Assam government may consider conferring ST (Hill) status to Karbis living outside the KAAC area. It shall set up a Karbi Welfare Council for focussed development of Karbis living outside the KAAC area.

    The five armed groups are Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front, People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri, United People’s Liberation Army, Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers and Kuki Liberation Front.

  • ‘Won’t accept alienation of Nagas’ ancestral land’: NSCN-IM on proposed Karbi Anglong Council

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: Insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) is piqued over the Centre and Assam government’s move to create Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council by allegedly overriding the interests of Rengma Nagas, the “legitimate owners of the land”.

    The NSCN-IM, which has been in a peace mode since 1997 following its signing of a ceasefire agreement with the Central government, said the agreement to create the council was aimed at appeasing six Assam-based tribal insurgent groups, active in Karbi Anglong.

    “Land alienation is the major point of conflict in Northeast, particularly Assam and Nagaland… The issue in focus is Karbi Anglong, earlier known as Rengma Hills. Their (Rengma Nagas’) historical status as the true sons of the soil cannot be questioned. For the same reason, the Rengma Nagas have a glorious history, vis-à-vis their relations with the Ahoms and the British rulers,” the NSCN-IM said in a statement.

    The outfit said no authority should go far enough to override the interests of the Rengma Nagas “who are the legitimate owners of the land under the questionable proposition”. It said taking cognisance of this historical status, the Rengma issue in Assam constitutes one of the important agendas of “Indo-Naga political talks” pending final decision.

    “Significantly, the Naga political movement is all about land and people because land represents economic, political and social power and identity of the people. The Naga people had sacrificed countless lives in the course of the movement. It is a trail of blood, sweat and tears as no sacrifice comes too big for the Nagas to defend their God-given lands,” the statement further said.

    The NSCN-IM made it clear it would not accept alienation of the Nagas’ ancestral land since it is tantamount to undermining the spirit of the political talks.

    “The Rengma Nagas are not lost people or immigrants like others in Karbi Anglong. The NSCN-IM would not allow them to be driven to the edge without considering their historical factual status. Thus, the NSCN-IM) makes it loud and clear that any agreement that victimizes the Rengma Nagas would not be acceptable to the Nagas in general and to the NSCN-IM in particular,” the statement added.

  • Assam CM Himanta appeals to ULFA chief Paresh Baruah to come forward for peace talks  

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: In his maiden media briefing as the Chief Minister of Assam on Monday, Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to Paresh Baruah, the self-styled “commander-in-chief” of the insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) to come forward for peace talks.

    “A dialogue with the ULFA is a two-way traffic. Paresh Baruah has to come forward. Similarly, we have to go to him. If both sides have the will, communication won’t be difficult,” Sarma said.

    He said peace returned to Bodoland Territorial Region and Karbi Anglong after the Centre signed peace pacts with the various insurgent groups.

    “Over the past five years (under the BJP government), people saw a process of peace and development in Assam. Peace returned to Bodo areas and Karbi Anglong. Our efforts now will be to bring the remaining rebel groups to the talks table for the establishment of permanent peace in the state,” the CM said.

    Appealing to Baruah and other ULFA members to join the peace process, he said killings and abductions will not solve problems. He was optimistic that the government will be able to bring all groups, still wielding the gun, to the mainstream within the next five years.

    ALSO READ | Once blue-eyed boy of Tarun Gogoi, Himanta Sarma gets reward for expanding BJP in Northeast

    Sarma said the first priority of his government will be to contain the Covid pandemic, stating that the situation in the state was alarming.

    The first meeting of the state Cabinet will be held on Tuesday and the CM said the government will try to fulfil all pre-poll promises, which include making Assam flood-free.

    On the National Register of Citizens (NRC), he said the government will favour 20% re-verification of documents in the districts that share a border with Bangladesh and 10% re-verification elsewhere.

    “If the old draft of the NRC is found to be flawless during the re-verification process, we will go ahead with it. But if anomalies are detected, we will want the Supreme Court to see to it,” he said.

    The NRC of 1951 was updated in Assam under the direct monitoring of the apex court. Over 19 lakh people were left out of the draft.

    Asked if his government will bring in a law against “love jihad” and “land jihad” (a way to force people sell off their lands), Sarma said, “The poll promises are solemn for us. We will implement each one of them.”

    Stating that the state government has Rs 7000 crore in the treasury, he said Assam was one of the best fiscally-managed states in the country and there was absolutely no cause of concern.

    Earlier in the day, Governor Jagdish Mukhi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Sarma. Thirteen others were also sworn in as Cabinet Ministers.

    Three of them belong to two BJP allies. They are Asom Gana Parishad president Atul Bora, its working president Keshab Mahanta and former Rajya Sabha member UG Brahma of the United People’s Party Liberal.

    The BJP ministers are party’s state president Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Parimal Suklabaidya, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Ajanta Neog, Ranoj Pegu, Sanjay Kishan, Jogen Mohan, Ashok Singhal, Pijush Hazarika and Bimal Bora.

    Brahma (UPPL), Pegu, Singhal and Bora are first-time ministers.

    Neog, the only woman in the ministry, had defected to the BJP from the Congress in December last year.

    Some CMs of northeastern states were among dignitaries who attended the swearing-in ceremony. Before taking the oath, Sarma had visited the Kamakhya and a few other temples.