The North Cachar Hills of Assam in North Eastern India[1] is an area much troubled for many generations, but there is a young and growing generation in the Manja area that is living all-out for peace.

When three Dimasa autorickshaw drivers aged 22, 23, and 25 were abducted in September 2005 and mercilessly killed to sow fear and distrust against the different tribes, the broader community fell apart and more than 75,000 people relocated. The resulting Karbi-Dimasa conflict spiralled into a retaliatory cycle of violence in the different tribes that stretched until October 2005 and led to 97 deaths and 115 missing. Relief camps were set up from 9 October to 8 November 2005 that provided shelter to more than 5,000 families (around 45,000 people). Around 2,000 children were also taken in as patients in the relief camps. Relief work and peace building efforts responded that involved civil society and religious groups working especially in the Manja area.

There are many tribes in the area: Karbi, Dimasa, Garo, Khasi, Jaintia, Kuki, Pnar, Hmar, Rengma Naga. People belonging to the Adivasi, Nepali, Bihari, Bengali and other communities also live in this district. Analysts believe that this 2005 conflict is a continuation of the conflicts since 2001 and the violent conflicts in 2003 and was an attempt to divide the two tribes of Karbi and Dimasa and portray them as mean and intolerant aggressors, as these two tribes are involved in a political struggle to demand a joint state for themselves. There are militant groups in the area and those who studied the conflict view that the contradictions between these groups were cleverly played up to ignite the violence that ensued.

Voices for healing and peace

The Little Flower School[2] run by the Mission School Manja slowly sought to bring the children together again and now with over 500 children has nearly all the tribes learning together again. On the evening we visited, the recent sports fest was being celebrated and awards were being given out. It was also a cultural celebration of dances and songs of the different tribes. The children enjoyed their athletic success while giving witness to the new peace they enjoy and that their parents continue to seek.

Fr. Tom Mangattuthazhe oversees the school with the principal Fr. Dominic Teron. He is also secretary for the Diphu Citizens Peace Forum and the United Christian Forum. That evening, the forum met to plan prayers and events for the Holy Week. Through SMS, they all gather rapidly now, more for a meeting than an emergency and they come together as "one family." There were 24 different pastors and peace workers from over 11 different churches and starting with Palm Sunday, they agreed in the afternoon that all the Christian churches will gather for prayer and song in Diphu and in Manja on Easter Sunday. For the December concert and event, they expect to draw 20,000 to 30,000 people.

Over the last 11 years they have had some successes. When praying over all the political candidates, they asked them not to distribute, alcohol, drugs, or money, and so there was much less of a problem during the election period. As a group of 36 churches that have asked for no bandh[3] by the militant groups around Christmas as people need to travel, they continued to meet and move and there was no bandh called. They advocated for the surrendering of guns and entered areas of firing and sides listened to them. It is hard won but ecumenical groups are making peace possible.

The confidence of the children either on the stage or in the sports field allowed them get involved in many activities.

The bridge across the river at Manja has been in construction for 17 years. Last year they stopped the traffic on the main road, handed out leaflets about their difficulties while cleaning the window screens of the people. With this, a further section of the bridge was accomplished given the attention raised. Hopefully, in another year or two it may get done.

[1]  North Eastern India is the natural gateway to Southeast Asia and is located at the junction of the vast trans-Asian landmass. During the British period, it was connected by road to Assam and Bengal through Myanmar and there is a long association with Southeast Asian countries. It is in ancient Assam where many ethnic and cultural traditions are shared with its eastern neighbors. The historic Silk Route from China to Central Asia passes through Assam. Assam is the largest state in the northeast and an ancient land of rich and diverse cultures, races, and civilizations. Its natural and forest resources encouraged various wandering tribes and communities to settle, resulting in a community of diverse cultures and racial backgrounds. This history makes the tribals of Assam distinct from those of mainland India. The two hill districts of Karbi Anglong (Karbi tribe) and North Cachar Hills (Dimasa tribe) worked in close cooperation for two decades and were a single district until the 1950s. (from Violence and search for Peace in Karbi Anglong, Assam by Tom Mangattuthazhe, North Eastern Social Research Centre, Guwahati, 2008).

[2]  The Little Flower School is situated at Hidim Teron Village, Manja and was started on 25 March 1990. The school has had 125 metric candidates so far. Presently the school has 299 students from the area, 
and majority of the children hails from very poor economic backgrounds and displaced due to violence in the past. (from their official website http://www.missionhomemanja.com/littleflower.html).

[3] A form of protest and civil disobedience in South Asia by political activists or by a community or political party where the general public are expected to stay at home, workers to strike, shops to close, and public transportation to be unavailable.

 

By Pedro Walpole, S.J. as he visited in March 2010 

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