New Delhi/Silchar, Sept. 24: The militant group representing Assam?s Dimasa tribe has demanded a dialogue with Delhi on its ?core demands? latest by September next year.

The Dima Halam Daoga (DHD), which entered into a ceasefire with the government last year, met Union home minister Shivraj Patil in the capital yesterday and submitted a memorandum demanding a separate homeland for the community.

The six-member delegation, led by the group?s chairman, Dilip Nunisa, included ?commander-in-chief? Pranab Nunisa, home secretary Kanta Langthasa, additional ?commander-in-chief? Yathong Dimasa and two other functionaries.

The leaders of the militant group requested the home minister to begin parleys for finding a permanent solution to the problems faced by the Dimasa people. ?We told Patil that formal talks should begin before September next year. He assured us that a dialogue will begin before the end of this year,? Nunisa told newspersons.

Official sources said the home ministry would invite the DHD leadership for further talks. The delegation is likely to return to Haflong tomorrow.

Like the Achik National Volunteers? Council of Meghalaya?s Garo Hills and the United People?s Democratic Solidarity of Karbi Anglong, the main demand of the Dimasa group is a separate homeland.

The group?s office secretary, Dip Dimasa, said over telephone from Haflong today that the delegation submitted their demand for amalgamating the Dimasa-inhabited areas in Cachar and Nagaon districts in Assam and Dhansiri in Nagaland with North Cachar Hills to carve out a separate state.

The militant organisation provided historical proof to the home ministry officials about the existence of a Dimaraji or Dimasa kingdom before the advent of the Ahom rulers in Assam. It furnished a blueprint for the state, including its political set-up within the constitutional framework and the various types of industries that could flourish in the region.

The DHD has expressed resentment over the tardy progress of the peace process, despite three extensions of the 17-month-old ceasefire.

An immediate implication of Patil?s assurance could be that the other outfits having similar demands would mount pressure on Delhi for talks, sources said.

They said the emergence of militant outfits in the two hill districts of Assam, Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills, speaks volumes about the failure of the autonomous district councils to address the problems faced by the people.

Union home ministry (Northeast) joint secretary Rajiv Agarwal, Intelligence Bureau joint director R.N. Ravi, Assam inspector-general of police K. Saikia attended the meeting.