GUWAHATI, Jan 13 � The ongoing ethnic clashes between the Rabhas and Garos of Assam and Meghalaya in the backdrop, several leading citizens have in a communiqu� made an appeal to the Union Home Minister to take appropriate measures with strong and lasting effects to prevent the recurrence of incidence of violence and to induce a sense of security among the native people of the State.
The signatories of the communiqu�, include Dr Hiren Gohain, Hiranya Kumar Bhattacharyya, Hare Krishna Deka, Dr Rohini Kumar Barua, Indibar Deuri and Ratneswar Basumatari. They also called for immediate steps to set up strong administrative stations with adequate police force �to intervene forcefully and nip in the bud any attempts by miscreants from either side of the border to create chaos� in the Garo and Rabha inhabited areas.
They also urged for steps to set up strong police outposts in places like Kukurkata, Ghorapota, Jira, Barjhora etc. Relief camps in outlying areas should for the time be protected by security forces to allay the fears of the inmates of these camps, they said.
Plans for rehabilitation of the affected people should be prepared at an early date. Besides, they said, it must be ensured that all activities like bandhs and rallies that are organised in areas adjacent to borders of a state by groups in their own interest preventing people from neighbouring states from using roads and other facilities in the state for their peaceful personal, official and business purpose are monitored by the administration.
Moreover, causes of unintended friction are removed expeditiously. Cross-border peace committees with school teachers and social workers from NGOs may also be formed for such purposes, they said, cautioning that a casual and ad hoc approach to such incidents might cause havoc in days to come.
