By A Ghiasuddin, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: For cartoonist duo Sunder Mohan Murmu and Amrith Basumatary, it’s time to use their art work to unite the people in the troubled Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD). The relation between the Bodo and Adivasi people have deteriorated once again in the BTAD region following the killing of 76 Adivasis by the militants of Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
Both Amrit and Sunder Mohan, who belong to Bodo and Adivasi communities respectively, have taken the initiatives to travel among people to re-build the confidence from January 1. Meanwhile, the central government extended the tag of ‘disturbed area’ for Assam for another year.
Cartoonists duo Amrith and Sunder Mohan pose with their painted car in Kokrajhar.
“I was in Assam to take part in a cartoon exhibition in Bongaigaon. I was supposed to go back to my home state Jharkhand but when I witnessed the violence, I decided to stay back. I thought we can do something in building the confidence among the people of different communities,” Sunder Mohan said at Kokrajhar.
A section of Adivasi people also retaliated and burnt down houses of Bodo people which forced the district administration to set up relief camps for the people of the both communities. Both the artistes have painted slogans like ‘Stop Rumour, Spread Humour’ on the vehicles they have used besides caricatures of different tribes and communities of the country on the vehicle they are using.
One of the protest rallies against the killings in the BTAD area by CPI (M) recently.
They have met people from different communities in different locations in Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar.
“We also tried to display the cartoons so that people understand, the common people often become the victims for political games,” Sunder Mohan said.
They will also move to the other parts of the state with this mission in the conflict zones in the days to come.
“Our aim is to make people realize that India is country where different types of communities live and all of us have to live peacefully with each other. We have tried to do something positive for the society on the first day of the New Year,” said Amrith.
They are getting huge support from the locals in their effort to create an environment of peace and harmony.
“It’s a positive step being taken by these young artistes. We need more such kind of initiatives to build the confidence among the communities rather than the political intervention. The political leaders always try to gain from such issues by playing dirty politics with the emotion of people. But such holistic approach will be helpful,” said an Adivasi student leader.
Meanwhile, the central government extended Assam’s ‘disturbed area’ status for one more year. A notification issued by the Union Home Minister on Friday extended the ‘disturbed area’ status of Assam under provisions of Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
The entire state of Assam was first declared as a ‘disturbed area’ on November 27, 1990 when the ULFA was banned and the Army deployed to carry out counter-insurgency operations.
Villagers with Arrow and Bow for their self defense in some rural areas of Sonitpur district.
The central government in exercise of powers under AF(SP) Act, 1958 has also declared, besides other areas, the area falling within 20 KMs wide belt in the state of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya along their border with the state of Assam as ‘Disturbed Area’.
The Government of India extended and issued the above notification after due consideration of the law and order situation in the state of Assam due to the violent incidents caused by the underground outfits namely ULFA (Independent), NDFB(S) and in the border areas of Assam by underground outfits like GNLA, KPLT, UALA, ULFA (I), NDFB(S), NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K).
In the ‘disturbed areas’ as declared by the central government, on yearly basis under the provision of the AF (SP) Act, 1958, the Army is empowered to take action for Counter Insurgency (CI) operations against the underground (UG) outfits as well as for controlling the violent incidents caused by the UGs which have a direct bearing on the general law and order scenario of the state.
For taking such action Army does not require any order or requisition from the state government or the district administration. However, only for controlling the law and order situation because of other factors, the Army requires requisition order from the Civil Authority which is issued under the provision of Cr PC, 1973.
To make Counter Insurgency Operations more effective, however, the central government in 1997 notified the Strategy Group under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Government of Assam for working out broad strategies and policy coordination and the Unified Headquarters under the Chairmanship of the GOC, IV Corps for operational purposes. This arrangement has been continued by the central government since then by issuing notification after every six months.
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Good gestures keep the lost hope alive in relief camps in Assam