Guwahati, Nov. 29: A group that works for historically dispersed Assamese people has urged chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to set up a separate department to look into the affairs of such people.

The historically dispersed are Assamese people - whether outside or within India - who were forced by historical circumstances and forces to settle in any foreign country or in any other state within India and became detached partially or completely from Assam.

Those who dispersed to foreign countries were either forcefully taken there by invaders or had to flee their native land to escape depredations of the invaders.

Some, however, are descendants of Assamese soldiers who stayed behind in other lands.

Those in other states of India were forced to disperse owing to their inhabiting land being transferred to other states during reorganisation of states at various periods of time.

The group, that includes Guwahati-based surgeon Satyakam Phukan, met historically dispersed people in Bangladesh and Myanmar and submitted a memorandum to Sonowal yesterday.

The group told Sonowal that the historically dispersed Assamese people in Myanmar and Bangladesh are "beleaguered populations".

"They have to bear the misfortunes of historical circumstances from forces and causes beyond their control. All of them hope to get some help from the government and from their brethren in Assam," the memorandum said.

The group told Sonowal that several historically dispersed Assamese people, within India and Nepal, are also in a beleaguered state of existence.

"The government of India has been pursuing a Look East policy and our brethren in Myanmar and Bangladesh can be made part of many schemes that may be implemented as part of this policy," the group told Sonowal.

It also said education facilities can be provided for all categories of historically dispersed Assamese people, in foreign land and in India, in various government-run educational institutions in both technical and non-technical streams.

"This will serve not only to uplift these beleaguered Assamese people, but will also be a major means of integration of our estranged brethren," the group said.

The group also suggested organising cultural programmes in areas inhabited by such people to enlighten them on Assamese culture and facilitate their visit to the state.

Recently, descendants of historically dispersed Assamese people visited the state and fulfilled their dream to see the land that their forefathers had left for good.

They have mingled with locals of Myanmar and can no longer speak Assamese but are proud of their Assamese origin.