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| Dilip Nunisa |
Silchar, Dec. 24: The New Year could bring with it more law and order worries for the North Cachar Hills of Assam.
Peeved at being kept waiting for four-and-a-half years without any sign of its demands being fulfilled, the militant Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) has threatened not to extend its ceasefire with security forces beyond December 31.
The DHD chief, Dilip Nunisa, told The Telegraph from Haflong town that he was not in favour of extending the ceasefire by a sixth term if Delhi was not serious about addressing the real issues.
Nunisa’s group has been in a ceasefire since July 2003. The other faction, led by Jewel Gorlosa, has rebuffed all peace overtures.
Nunisa said his men — around 900 of them — had become restive and made it clear to their leaders that they had had enough of waiting in the wings. “Since security forces do not stand by us whenever we are attacked by Gorlosa’s group, our men believe it will be safer for them to go underground for another phase of insurgency.”
The DHD chief said members of the outfit were convinced that the dialogue with Delhi would not be fruitful. “The Centre, too, seems uninterested.”
The outfit’s main demand is a Dimasa homeland called “Dimaraji” under the Indian Union.
Nunisa said only two rounds of talks were organised during the year and neither gave any indication that Dimasa aspirations would be fulfilled. “Only six days remain for Delhi to invite us to discuss the extension of the ceasefire, but it is enigmatically silent. We have received no feelers for the renewal of the ceasefire from the Union home ministry,” he added.
The DHD leader took a swipe at the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council, too. He said the ruling Autonomous State Demand Committee-BJP combine was tilting towards the Gorlosa group.
Militants of the Gorlosa group killed at least 21 people in the run-up to the recent council elections. They also mounted at least three attacks in the past two years on the Nunisa group’s government-sanctioned camp in Haflong.
The DHD was formed in 1994 and split in 2000.
