APHLC holds protest rally opposing Peace Accord

HT Bureau
DIPHU, Sept 10: All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) took out a protest rally from the Rongkhelan Market to Semson Sing Ingti Memorial Park opposing the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS), (Peace Accord), signed by six extremist organisations of Karbi Anglong with the state and Central government on September 4 at New Delhi. The MoS was signed by People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA), Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers (KPLT)- Run Rongpi faction, Sam Sing Tisso faction and Mensing Kramsa faction.
The APHLC workers shouted slogans of ‘Tribal unity long live’, ‘No Autonomous State, No Rest’ and ‘Sixth Schedule Long Live’.
President of APHLC, JI Kathar said, “The financial package of Rs. 1,500 crore is too meagre. In the preamble of the peace accord there is mention of Karbis only and other scheduled tribes like the Kukis, Dimasas, Garos, Khasi, Hmar, Thadou, Man (Tai Speaking) are not mentioned.”
Kathar further said, “The Assam Government has given a mini secretariat for Barak Valley, but not for Karbi Anglong. It is very regrettable that despite having Article 244(A) provision in the constitution, the state has not been granted it to us. In the Sixth Schedule area the question of reservation does not arise. Land and resources are all reserved for the Schedule Tribes residing in the Sixth Schedule areas.”
Kathar went on to quote from the constitution saying, “In paragraph 20 of the Sixth Schedule to the constitution clearly stated that it is a tribal area. Our CEM (Tuliram Ronghang) is an ignorant (okora). As the CEM is ‘okora’ he always says ‘reservation’. Our 100 percent reservation has been cut which is shameful. The Sixth Schedule is for the protection of tribal communities. The communities with large populations are found in other parts of the country and for them Sixth Schedule is not required for their protection. But the peace accord has given 10 seats Open for all categories for their protection here in Karbi Anglong. It is very shameful for us.”