Dimasa group wants Dimapur to be part of Assam

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, July 17: An organisation called the ‘Dimasa National Council’ (DNC) submitting a memorandum to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh demanding Nagaland’s commercial district Dimapur to be merged with Assam has caught everyone in Nagaland unawares.
News websites on late Monday night published reports about the group stating its demand to Singh for a separate ‘Hirimbapur autonomous state’ including Dimapur. The group was said to have included in their demand setting up of a ‘Hirimbapur autonomous state’ under Article 244 (A) by carving out the entire North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) in Dima Hasao. The proposed ‘Hirimbapur autonomous state’ includes the areas Dimapur; and Maibang, and Khashpur areas of adjoining Karbi Anglong; Hojai, Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts of Assam.

On Tuesday Eastern Mirror contacted the former chief minister of Nagaland Dr. SC Jamir during whose tenure Dimapur was declared a district in 1997. “I don’t know why they (DNC) are unnecessarily demanding,” he replied.

According to Jamir, Dimapur was ‘part and parcel’ of Nagaland and the demand for merger with Assam was “nothing but foolishness”.

The deputy commissioner of Dimapur Sushil Kumar Patel refused to comment. In the memorandum, the group reportedly sought to appraise the government of “the atrocities of the Naga rebels in some parts of our former territory,” and stated opposition to the demand of “Nagalim.”

‘DNC has no mandate’
The Dimasa Public Organisation (DPO) of Nagaland has issued a rejoinder on Tuesday stating that it never knew about the existence of the DNC and their memorandum to Singh. “It has also been confirmed that Dimasa National Council has been reportedly formed by a few individuals without having the mandate of the people as per report from Dimasa frontal organisations of Assam.

“The Dimasa Public Organisation, Nagaland strongly refutes and strongly condemned (sic) the allegation of atrocities stated to have been committed on the Dimasas of Nagaland by Naga rebels which is nothing but a sinister design to create animosity between indigenous tribes.”

It appealed everybody to avoid ‘misunderstanding on the issue and maintain the age-old cordial relationship between tribes.’