HT Correspndent
DIMAPUR, Aug 1: The All Rengma Welfare Organisation (ARWO) Assam-Nagaland on Friday urged the Assam government to initiate steps for the recognition and restoration of the traditional rights of the Rengma Nagas over their ancestral lands.
Extending its heartfelt appreciation to chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the decisive action undertaken by the Assam government in carrying out the eviction of illegal settlers in Rengma Reserve Forest under Uriamghat in Golaghat District, the ARWO appealed to the Assam government to continue such lawful and rightful actions and ensure the protection of the Rengma Reserve Forest.
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It further urged that permanent measures be taken to prevent future encroachments.
The ARWO lauded CM Sarma’s political will and administrative clarity in upholding the rights of the indigenous people while simultaneously addressing the illegal migration issue that has deeply impacted the socio-political fabric of Assam, Nagaland and other northeastern states.
“This action marks a significant step toward restoring justice, law and order, and long-standing indigenous rights in the region,” ARWO president Akhu Kath and Tegibu Tep said in a release.
The ARWO said the Rengma Reserve Forest, which has seen widespread encroachment in recent decades, is not just an ecological asset but it holds profound ancestral, historical, and cultural importance for the Rengma Naga tribe, one of the oldest indigenous communities of the region.
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, it said.
The ARWO also thanked various civil society organisations, youth organisations, Naga political groups, and Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio for taking proactive steps to protect the state’s border.
