Nagaon/Guwahati, Oct. 15: Assam?s Karbi Anglong district continued to burn on the eve of the proposed peace talks between the United Peoples Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Centre with miscreants setting fire to 123 houses belonging to Karbis and Dimasas.
The houses, spread over six villages, were torched in two separate incidents. The first incident took place in Borjan under Manja police outpost at 6.30 this morning. Manja police said some miscreants and militants entered the Karbi-dominated area and torched 54 houses in three Dimasa villages ? Thapadeu, Nasgiru Disa and Majgaon.
?No casualty was reported as the villagers had already taken shelter in relief camps and the houses were abandoned,? a police source said.
In retaliation, Dimasas are suspected to have burnt down 69 houses in three Karbi villages under Lungmili at 12.30 pm. They burnt 28 houses in Mansingh Tisso, 24 in DolaIngleng and 17 houses in Sarthe Sinhar.
The ethnic conflagration took place despite an appeal for peace by student organisations, NGOs and the district administration.
Tomorrow?s talks will be another attempt to end the ongoing unrest. Dispur had earlier invited both the militant organisations ? the UPDS, a Karbi outfit, and the Dima Halom Daoga (DHD) ? for talks to end the violence that has claimed 36 lives since September 26. However, only the UPDS responded to the invitation extended by chief minister Tarun Gogoi after his visit to the troubled district last week.
There was also a demand in Congress circles for Delhi?s intervention as the two outfits have ceasefire agreements with the Centre.
UPDS publicity secretary Tong-Eh-Nongloda said they had received an invitation for discussions from representatives of New Delhi. ?The programme is scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday) and we will take part. Our team has already reached Guwahati but we are yet to hear from our hosts.?
AGP president Brindaban Goswami and state veterinary minister Gobinda Chandra Langthasa visited the troubled district after the incidents. Goswami blamed Dispur for its mishandling of the situation, while Langthasa blamed the district administration.
The Karbi Anglong administration attributed the violence to an ?ego clash? between the UPDS and the DHD.
In Guwahati, Assam BJP president Indramoni Bora alleged that the CPI(M-L) was involved in the ethnic violence in Karbi Anglong. The party has also decided to submit a memorandum to Assam governor Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh, demanding dissolution of the autonomous councils of Karbi Anglong and NC Hills for alleged misrule.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi said his government would take a serious view of the matter as ceasefire ground rules were being violated.
