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Ongoing protest against Govt move to set up Assam Rifles camp at Sonapur

By Correspondent

JORABAT, March 13 - The ongoing protest in Dimoria region over the move to set up an Assam Rifles camp on agricultural cum tribal land at Sonapur has witnessed an interesting development in the form of huge amounts of �resources� allegedly being offered to stop the protest against the government move.

It has been alleged that some unscrupulous middlemen are trying to stop the protest through underhand dealings with those protesting against the move.

Soon after knowing about the move to weaken the protest, the Amri Karbi Students� Union (AKSU) executive members had an urgent meeting on Tuesday to discuss their move against the use of such �unacceptable means�.

Following the decision taken at the meeting, the AKSU members have started visiting as many villages as they can to make the tribal people aware of their rights and the irreplaceable loss they might incur by parting with their land in the name of setting up of military camps.

�We will be continuing with our awareness drive till Thursday evening, after which a general meeting has been scheduled for Friday where residents of Dimoria numbering thousands, are expected to take part to discuss the next move to save the rights of the indigenous people,� AKSU general secretary Ramen Kathar said.

Meanwhile, some conscious people of Sonapur-Dimoria region have alleged that some groups that had earlier come out in support of the rights of the indigenous people, have now fallen silent.

It may be mentioned that, out of 144 bighas and 19 lesas of residential cum agricultural land of tribal belt area sought to be handed over to the Assam Rifles, a mere five bighas are said to be government land.

�Apart from the decision to come up after Friday�s meeting, we, along with six Amri-Karbi indigenous organisations have lined up programmes like blockade of railway line and national highway, to be followed by Dimoria bandh and a number of protest rallies against the government move,� Kumud Tumung, president of AKSU said.

Meanwhile, the AKSU and the Amri Karbi National Council have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, the Finance Minister, the Deputy Commissioner, the MLA of Dispur constituency and the Director General of Police through the Sonapur Circle Officer to address the issue.

The AKSU has urged the authorities concerned to act against the forces using abundant resources to manage the protesters and also to lure the poor and uneducated tribal people to give away their lands.

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