The ARWO has lauded Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma for the eviction drive in Rengma Reserve Forest, calling it a key step in protecting indigenous Rengma Naga rights.
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DIMAPUR — The All Rengma Welfare Organisation (ARWO) has lauded Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the recent eviction drive carried out against illegal settlers inside Rengma Reserve Forest under Uriamghat in Golaghat district.
In a statement issued on Friday, the organisation termed the Assam government’s action as a “significant step” toward restoring justice, law and order, and protecting the long-standing indigenous rights of the Rengma Naga community.
The ARWO noted that the Rengma Reserve Forest, which has witnessed widespread encroachment in recent decades, is not only an ecological asset but also holds deep ancestral, historical, and cultural significance for the Rengma Nagas—one of the region’s oldest indigenous communities.
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“The land forms part of the traditional Rengma homeland, predating modern administrative boundaries and political developments. It is a living heritage site for the Rengma people, embedded in their identity and cultural continuity,” the organisation stated.
It further highlighted the expanse of undivided Rengma homeland, which includes Rengma Reserve Forest, Rengma River valley, Rengma Tea Estate, Nambor Reserve Forest, Gholapani, Haldibari, Lisa Goan, Rengma Pathar, Uriamghat, Sarupathar, Naojan, and Naokhuti areas under Golaghat district.
Other areas include Nambor, Kaliani, Dhansari, and Doldali Reserve Forests, as well as Diphu and Jamuna river valleys under Karbi Anglong, and parts of Nagaland including Tseminyu district, it stated.
The organisation lauded Sarma’s “political will and administrative clarity” in safeguarding the rights of indigenous people and addressing the issue of illegal migration, which it said has severely affected the socio-political landscape of Assam, Nagaland, and the wider Northeast region.
It also expressed gratitude to civil society organisations, youth bodies, Naga political groups (NPGs), and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for their proactive role in safeguarding the inter-state boundary and protecting indigenous interests.