Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: Political parties and other organizations have demanded security and justice for the coal workers after unidentified miscreants killed eight workers from Assam in the Garegittim and Nongalbibra areas in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills district.
After that panic-stricken workers, around 5, 000 from Assam, have left the areas of Garo Hills region in western Meghalaya fearing fresh attacks on non-indigenous workers.
The incident took place on Sunday night when unidentified assailants had launched a series of attacks on the labourers leaving eight coal miners dead and three others injured. Seven of the deceased in last night’s incident are from Goalpara district of Assam and one from Bilasipara in Dhubri district of Assam. The murdered workers are identified as Babul Ali, Madan Ali, Ajur Ali, Jiarul Islam, Moral Hussain, Ismail Ali, Ajad Ali and Shahjahan Ali. While, Jakir Ali, Moinal Ali and Alibur Ali sustained injuries.
“This is an unfortunate incident. This is due to the negligence of the respective state government as several such incidents have taken place earlier also. But so far the government has not taken any step to nab the culprits who has taken the lives of innocent workers,” said Hafiz Bashir Ahmed Qasimi, general secretary of All Indian United Democratic Front (AIUDF) said on Tuesday.
AIUDF also demanded that Assam government should take some stern measures to stop such attacks on the people of the state in the outside places.
“The government should try to find out a permanent solution to this instead of offering Rs 2 or 3 lakh for the victim families. This is a too small amount compared to the lives of these people. The government should at least give Rs 10 lakh for the death and Rs 5 lakh for those who have sustain injuries. If the government do not take any step, we will be forced to take the path of agitation,” he added.
According to the police of Meghalaya, a group of around 50 men armed with weapons attacked three coal mines in the Garegittim-Dobakol region of Nangalbibra around 11.30pm with an intention to rob.
South Garo Hills district administration has also imposed Section 144 under the CrPC throughout the district to avoid more violence.
MY-FACTS (Muslim Youths Forum Against Communalism, Terrorism and Sedition) also strongly condemned, what it called, “the mindless act of violence” on Muslim labourers of Assam. It added, “The brutal killings of 10 Muslims in three days exposed the design of a BTAD like ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Meghalaya.”
MY-FACTS today also submitted memorandum to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union Minority Affair Minister demanding immediate deployment of Central Para-Military forces in Garo hills. It also demanded from the PM to ensure:
1. safety and security of native Muslims of Meghalaya.
2. Safe passage of Muslim labourers of Assam to their home.
3. Immediate relief and rehabilitations of the victims and their families.
Char Sapori Sahitya Parishad (CSSP), a literary body of the state has also condemned the incident and demanded justice from the respective state governments. “This is a complete failure of the governments of the both states. Proper investigation should be done on the whole incident to find out who are involved to kill these innocent workers,” said CSSP president Hafiz Ahmed.
All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) too has condemned the incident and demanded proper action to be taken to stop such activities. The students’ body has also threatened to carry out economic blockade to the state of Meghalaya if the government do not immediate step regarding this incident.
Meanwhile, Assam government has taken up the issue with Meghalaya government. The Assam government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 2 lakh to the keen of each of the victims. The Meghalaya government had also announced Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia to families of each of the victims.
“Our government has taken up the matter seriously with its Meghalaya and asked them to beef up security so that no further untoward incident takes place. We have condemned the incident in the strongest possible terms and asked the government of Meghalaya to strengthen security in the area where the unfortunate incident occurred on Sunday night,” an Assam government official said.
In May this year, suspected militant outfit in Garo Hills have killed five migrant labourers at Darangdura, 10 kms away from Nangalbibra in the district. A similar incident had also taken place in 2011, where five coal labourers were gunned down in the Goka coal dumping site in South Garo Hills.