Silchar, October 15, 2011: The 12-hour Dima Hasao bandh, called by four Dimasa organizations in protest against the killing of a former militant and gutting down a Dimasa village, passed off peacefully today. The bandh evoked a total response in the hill district as there was no vehicular movement, even the train service was suspended. Schools, colleges, offices, shops and markets were closed.
Suspected Hills Tigers Force (HTF), a non-Dimasa tribal outfit gunned down James Dimasa, a former DHD (J) militant on Thursday evening. On the following day the militant outfit set ablaze a Dimasa village in Choto Longren basti, four km from Haflong. Claiming the responsibility the HTF said they did these to disrupt the proposed peace pact between the government and the DHD.
Meanwhile, leader of the pro-talk faction of the DHD Dilip Nunisa told The Sentinel from Delhi over telephone that all communities of the district should maintain peace and communal harmony. Criticizing the HTF, Nunisa said it was a cowardice act to burn down the huts of poor farmers.
Sources, however, expressed suspicion about the claim of the HTF that they had gunned down James Dimasa. On October 2, 2009 James also handed over arms and returned to the mainstream along with the DHD (J) cadres.
But subsequently he deserted the camp and raised his own outfit. He had allegedly amassed huge money when he was the self-styled home secretary of the Jewel Garlosa faction of the DHD. Son of a police constable, James was being hunted by his one time colleagues. Killing James Dimasa could not hamper the proposed peace pact, as claimed by the HTF.
~ The Sentinel
