HT Correspondent
MARGHERITA Feb 15: Several tribal organisations have strongly reacted to the incident of illegal land encroachment by non-Assamese community members in the Tirap Tribal Belt under the 83rd Margherita LAC in Tinsukia district.
The All Assam Sema Naga Council, All Assam Tangsa Student Union, Pan Singpho Student Union, All Man Tai Speaking Student Union and All Assam Mech Kachari Student Union jointly held a press conference on Saturday at the historic Longtong Sema village.
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The organisations alleged that the Sema Naga community has peacefully resided on their ancestral land for over a hundred years while maintaining harmony in the area. However, they claimed that the land of Hotoshe Sema, a resident of 1 No Longtong Sema Naga village has recently been illegally encroached upon.
According to the allegations, Anil Kumar Sah, Krishna Sah and Rahul Sah, residents of 1 No Longtong in a 3-mile area under Lekhapani Police Station of Margherita Co-District, forcibly occupied the land. This has reportedly caused mental stress and tension for the Sema family.
The organisations stated that the land falls under the protected tribal belt, reserved under the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886, Chapter 10, Sections 165(1) and 165(3), which prohibits non-tribals from occupying such land.
They said the incident constitutes serious offences including criminal trespass, intimidation, harassment, violation of tribal protection laws and atrocities against indigenous Scheduled Tribe communities. An FIR has already been filed at Lekhapani Police Station against the accused.
The organisations demanded that the administration immediately arrest the guilty parties and take strict action. They warned that failure to act promptly by Margherita Co-District administration, Lekhapani police and Tinsukia District administration could trigger a large-scale mass movement in the coming days.
