Bodo areas calm, rehabilitation starts

Guwahati, Sep 2 (IANS) With no fresh incidents reported from anywhere in Assam over the past few days, the state government has started the process for rehabilitation of the displaced people in the three violence-hit districts, officials said Sunday.

Clashes between the Bodos and Bengali speaking Muslim settlers that broke out in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts since July 19 have so far killed 95 people and displaced over four lakhs.

Relief and rehabilitation of the displaced people of the three violence hit districts has started, an official said.

Till Friday last, a total of 2,40,090 inmates of the relief camps have already left for their homes in the three districts. However, about another 2,45,831 inmates of the relief camps are still living in over 200 such camps in the violence-hit districts, an official said.

The process of verification of land documents of the inmates of the relief camps, which was made mandatory by the Bodoland Territorial Council and Assam government, have also been started in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts. The same will be started in Dhubri soon.

On Saturday, schools and other educational institutions, which were closed due to violence for more than a month now, have also started opening and likely to resume regular classes soon.

“It is good that the situation have become normal. The shops and markets have started opening as the administration have lifted the curfew and we hope that no more violence takes place in Kokrajhar,” said Jayanta Boro, a school teacher. Boro added that they have started the school on Saturday but there were few students.

“We hope the students will be back in the schools soon,” he said.

A senior police official at the Assam Police headquarters in Guwahati said that there have been no violence in Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD) for more than last few days.

“The deployment of security forces would, however, remain in the BTAD for obvious reasons. The day curfew have been lifted and only night curfew prevails now in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri,” he said adding that the forces have been maintaining a close vigil.

Inspector General of Police (BTAD) S.N. Singh said that there are close to 40 companies of central paramilitary forces in the three districts now. The army and state police forces have also been deployed in the districts, he said.

He also said that the army had started an operation in Kokrajhar district to seize all the illegal arms and weapons in the districts.

The Assam government has also requested the individuals and organisations in the BTAD not to organise any procession and rallies for next one month in the BTAD keeping in view the sensitivity of the issue. The government made the appeal as the rallies and processions might aggravate tension in the area.

IANS 2012-09-02 19:31:26