Spectre of ‘bloodbath’ looms in Dima Hasao (The sentinel news)

SILCHAR, Aug 25: Bloodbath might return in its ugliest form in Dima Hasao district, apprehended various leading Dimasa organizations. Representatives of All Dimasa Students’ Union and Dimasa People’s Council blamed both the State and Central Governments for the indifferent attitude towards the demands of the DHD (Jewel faction), the militant outfit which surrendered arms to the Chief Minister on October 2 last year following assurance from the Government that their long standing demands would be fulfilled within 100 days. But in reality, more than 300 days had passed, but the authority had virtually done nothing to keep its promise except appointing PC Haldar as the mediator. In this backdrop, the DHD (J) leader, who felt themselves betrayed, had sat on fast unto death and later set the coming October 2 as the ultimate deadline for fulfillment of their demands. On the other hand, pro-talk faction of DHD led Dilip Nunisa already threatened coming out seven years back. Nunisa said, the Government’s dilly-dallying tactic was compelling them to rethink over the so called peace dialogue. In the meantime, various non-Dimasa tribes had vehemently protested State Government’s decision to rename the erstwhile NC Hills as Dima Hasao district arguing that this had pushed the very existence of the non-Dimasa tribes to the danger of mere non entity. These non-Dimasa tribes had assembled themselves under the banner of Indigenous People’s Forum and already plunged into agitation demanding bifurcation of the Dima Hasao into two autonomous districts, one for the Dimasas and the other for the non-Dimasas. A non-Dimasa militant outfit called Hills Tiger Force (HTF) had already made its presence felt with a series of low intensity bomb blasts. HTF chief Kapiche Zeme Naga had threatened that they might target the railways to put pressure on the Government. In this backdrop, winter is coming. Winter is the season only when work for broad gauge could be done as there is no shower. If the chronology of bloodbath in the erstwhile NC Hills could be seen, it was found that DHD (J) used to strike during the winter. The reason was simple. Contractors returned to the work after the rainy seasons and the militants starts to threat them, extort money, kidnap employees and even kill them to set an atmosphere of terror so that the contractors were forced to cough up the bucks. Last year, the hills were by and large peaceful as the Jewel army had surrendered on October 2. Work for broad gauge could be proceeded smoothly. An NF Railway source said, till now 59.62 per cent of work had been completed. A railway contractor informed that, work was stalled now due to shower, and as soon as the winter arrives they would resume their work. But would they be able to?