Nagaon, Oct. 22: Jadikhe Naisho Hoshom, the apex body of the Dimasa community, has appealed to both factions of the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) to call a ceasefire and desist from fighting each other.

The Hoshom’s publicity secretary, Dhanaswar Bathar, said fighting between themselves would not help them achieve their goals. Instead, he said, it would only create more problems for the people.

“Fighting each other within the same community continually will only create more and more problems and no solution will come to any of the groups.”

Bathar alleged that common people, especially in the interior areas of North Cachar Hills district, are bearing the brunt of the conflict.

According to him, two Dimasa villagers — Pradesh Sengyung of Dihangi and Nityananda Maibongsa of Maibongbasti — were gunned down a few days ago by militants of one of the warring factions. Villagers of Nobdi Doulogapu, Diduki and Thaijupung were beaten up badly for allegedly supporting their rivals.

“If the clash does not come to an end at the earliest, it might claim more lives. Both factions should realise that they will stand to gain nothing from this sort of fratricidal killings. We request them to come to an understanding between themselves in the greater interest of the community,” he said.

Clashes between the two factions of the Dimasa outfits took a turn for the worse after the attack on DHD chief Dilip Nunisa in February. A high level source in NC Hills police claims that the Jewel Gorlosa-led faction, backed by militants from “across the border”, are continuing their movement in the bordering areas of the district. The DHD (J) has already killed five members of its rival since June.

The DHD entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Centre in 2003. Just six months after the agreement, former chief Jewel Gorlosa left the outfit and floated his own group.

The group is said to have been behind the recent attack on railway personnel near Lumding in which 11 persons were killed.