GUWAHATI, Aug 26 - The All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) and Tirap Autonomous District Council Demand Committee have urged Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to place the proposal for formation of a Tirap Autonomous District Council during the next session of the State Legislative Assembly.
Leaders of both the organisations who met the Chief Minister at the Administrative Staff College, Khanapara here today, stressed the need for immediate steps to protect the language, culture and identity of a number of tribal communities inhabiting the Tirap frontier tract areas.
�We will boycott the next State Assembly elections in 2021 if the State government does not take any action on the matter at the upcoming State Assembly session. Moreover, if the State government continues to overlook the plight of the indigenous people of Tirap area on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, we will be compelled to launch a drive for merger with Arunachal Pradesh,� the tribal leaders stated.
�It is our long-pending demand to form a separate Tirap District Autonomous Council incorporating the Tirap tribal belt. Situated on the Assam-Arunachal border in Tinsukia district, the area is home to a number of indigenous tribes and communities, most of whom are either facing a threat to their existence or are on the verge of extinction. Indigenous tribal communities like Singpho, Tangsa, Sema, Tai-Khamyang, Man-Tai, Sonowal Kachari, Deuri, Mising, Hajong, Rabha etc., have been fighting a long battle for their survival. Moreover, since 1995, the indigenous communities of Assam-Arunachal border have started a democratic movement for a separate Tirap Tribal Autonomous District Council, which has been ignored so far by the successive governments,� the organisations said in their memorandum.
The delegation was led by AATS president Milan Sonowal and Tirap Autonomous District Council Demand Committee president Mungdang G Singpho.
While accepting the memorandum, the Chief Minister assured the delegation of all possible support to their demands. He also instructed WPT and BC Minister Chandan Brahma to look into the matter on a priority basis.
