ASSAM VIOLENCE Nepali Speakers Hit

Two Nepalese speaking Indian citizens were killed in the recent violence in the north Indian state of Assam although the they did not seem to be the target&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br><STRONG>UMA KANTA KHANAL</STRO

Nov. 21, 2010, 5:45 p.m. Published in Magazine Issue: Vol. 04 No.-11, Nov 19 2010 (Mangsir 03, 2067)

In 2009 and 2010, a dozen Nepali speaking Assam gorkhas were killed in different armed attacks in eastern state of India, Assam.

The latest killing of two Nepali speaking people occurred in Udalguri and Tejpur districts of Assam. They were killed by the armed separatist National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). 

According to a Nepali speaking journalist, editor of Sapariwar monthly magazine Rohit Gautam, in 2009, ten Assam gorkhas were killed, including in Sonitpur, Kokrajhar, Karbi Anglong and in 2010, one in Udalguri and the other in Tejpur.

"But this is not a targeted killing," Gautam said, "The Nepali speaking people have been hit in random attacks by different underground organisations which want their separate lands."

Now an underground separatist organisation National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) has targeted Hindi speaking people because security forces have continued attacking and killing the members of the front. A member of the front was killed on 8 November and the front has threatened to kill 20 civilians for losing its single member.

"There were different attacks in Bodo Territorial Autonomous Council and they killed more than two dozen people in which two were from Nepali Speaking community," Gautam said over the phone.

Although the killings of Nepali speaking people were not actually targeted at the Nepali community but their insecurity has increased. Gautam said, "We are supporting each other and try to relax ourselves."

Assam IGP in charge of law and order Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said that the operation against the NDFB would continue despite the warning of the front. Talking to the media persons, Mahanta said that full scale operation is on against NDFB. Counter insurgency operations against anti-talks NDFB militants with the help of army and paramilitary forces jointly in the state will continue.

He said, "Their main cause of concern is in minority pocket areas in Kokrajhar and police is alert, defensive in minority pockets areas. The most remote and vulnerable pockets were being identified and steps in right direction to protect lives and property of the people and these needs to be fortified. It needs to be done."

The security forces in the past three months have killed at least 20 NDFB cadres, besides arresting more than 15 militants in separate raids even as the tribal separatist group continues with a series of kidnappings for money.

The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, visited Assam after the different attacks of NDFB and directed the state government to take serious action against NDFB. But the civilians are not convinced that the security forces would go in front of them to fight with them. Bhaskar Dahal, an advisor of All Assam Gorkha Student Association, said, "They take action against them if they find them walking and roaming on the way."

He says that the rebel groups reside in those areas where no one can reach, even the security forces.

Among the north eastern states of India, Assam has more than 15 lakh gorkhali population. Half a dozen Nepali speaking people are reported to have been abducted by the rebel groups in the last two years. But they are reported to have been released.
Please type your text here. Assam IGP in charge of law and order Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said that the operation against the NDFB would continue despite the warning of the front. Talking to the media persons, Mahanta said that full scale operation is on against NDFB. Counter insurgency operations against anti-talks NDFB militants with the help of army and paramilitary forces jointly in the state will continue.

He said, "Their main cause of concern is in minority pocket areas in Kokrajhar and police is alert, defensive in minority pockets areas. The most remote and vulnerable pockets were being identified and steps in right direction to protect lives and property of the people and these needs to be fortified. It needs to be done."

The security forces in the past three months have killed at least 20 NDFB cadres, besides arresting more than 15 militants in separate raids even as the tribal separatist group continues with a series of kidnappings for money.

The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, visited Assam after the different attacks of NDFB and directed the state government to take serious action against NDFB. But the civilians are not convinced that the security forces would go in front of them to fight with them. Bhaskar Dahal, an advisor of All Assam Gorkha Student Association, said, "They take action against them if they find them walking and roaming on the way."

He says that the rebel groups reside in those areas where no one can reach, even the security forces.

Among the north eastern states of India, Assam has more than 15 lakh gorkhali population. Half a dozen Nepali speaking people are reported to have been abducted by the rebel groups in the last two years. But they are reported to have been released.
Please type your text here.

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