THE RELIGIOUS CHAKRA OF CRICKET

Religion may have been one of the sparks that ignited the communal flare-up between the Rabha and Garo Communities, but an unscripted religion of India – Cricket - is helping douse the flame of hatred between the two sides.

Garos and Rabhas fought it out in a 20-20 cricket match in strife-torn Resubelpara in East Garo Hills district, Meghalaya, on Martyr’s Day on January 30 that commemorates the death anniversary of the greatest proponent of non-violence in the world - Mahatma Gandhi.

The match was held between Baijengdoba-XI and Resubelpara-XI at Resubelpara Stadium with a capacity of about 10,000 crowd from both Rabha and Garo communities from at least six nearby villages thronging the stadium to cheer their favourite team. Resubelpara-XI won the match by ten runs in a stiff battle.

Happily, in both the teams there were equal numbers of representation from the Garo and Rabha communities. In fact, police and BSF personnel were also in the teams from both the communities.


“There is lot of trauma and shock in the two communities. And we thought Cricket can provide solace to ease the grief to a little extent as the sport is considered as some sort of a religion in India,” DIG Border Security Force Tura sector, Gajendra Singh Chaudhary told the Assam Tribune over the phone from Tura.

The idea to have the match was mooted first by the BSF after carefully gauging the ground situation in which the border guarding officers thought that the villagers needed an outlet to move on with life. The force was equally supported by the district administration.

“Cricket is perfect. It is part of the cultural way of life in India now. Cricket we thought would provide the necessary balm. So we organised the match with representation from both communities. Moreover, there were cultural programmes showcasing the best of both the communities,” Chaudhary said.

During the event, Rural Development Minister, Frankenstein Momin was also present. He was accompanied by local NCP MLA, TD Shira.

The ethnic clash between the two communities left ten people dead, many more injured and about 50,000 people displaced so far. The BSF say anti-social elements are still trying to stoke the embers of the clash.

“We are taking elderlies from both communities to areas where they hear about rumours. And they speak to their respective community members to find out the truth,” said.

The eight companies of BSF and the Army deployed in the area are also trying to bring in Psychiatrists from Guwahati, in some of the villages that have been ravaged by the violence, to provide counselling.

Its not certain when the festering wounds of both communities would heal, but the BSF say that with a little prayer, a little bit of trust and love both communities would find their own spaces, who share so much in common.

NO FDI IN MEGHALAYA

Meghalaya today decided to do away with a clause in the draft mining policy that “encourages foreign direct investment” in the mining sector.

“Foreign direct investment and technology by overseas corporate bodies and NRIs would be encouraged for mining, exploration, value addition in mineral sectors and environment protection as per the Government of India policy,” the draft mining policy notified in September 24, 2009 said.

But owing to opposition from local miners - especially those engaged in coal mining - has put the draft policy in cold storage for the past few years. The government after notifying the policy invited stakeholders, environmentalists, NGOs and experts for their inputs on the policy.

The coal miners immediately put their foot down, stating foreign direct investment would put them out of business and wanted the government to do away with such a policy.

Deputy Chief Minister, Bindo Lanong minister in-charge mining and geology said the government after two rounds of talks with all the stakeholders, NGOs, and experts finally decided to do away with foreign direct investment clause. He said, the government would “no longer encourage foreign companies to invest” in this sector.

The state has a total coal reserve of 640 million tones, besides 5,000 million tones of limestone reserve and other minerals like Uranium.

The government earlier, while drafting the policy said foreign direct investment would help streamline the mining sector in terms of environment protection and introduction of new technology in a state mining where mining is being done in an unscientific manner.

Asked if the decision was retrogressive to discourage foreign companies, Lanong in an ambiguous manner said: “the decision was not to encourage, but there was no bar on foreign companies to enter in the sector.”

Now, it’s not certain how the decision to discourage foreign direct investment would affect French cement giant already engaged in Limestone mining in Shella and Nongtrai in East Khasi Hills district and sending it to its cement plant in Chattak, Bangladesh.

The company also proposes to set up a Rs. 1000 Greenfield integrated cement plant having a capacity of 1.1 million tonne in Jaintia Hills district.

“The state government cannot take decisions alone there are a host of agencies and the central government who would all have a say into the matter,” Lanong said when asked about Lafarge.

Meanwhile, Lanong said the new draft mining policy would soon be taken up in the Cabinet for approval.

MEGHALAYA DOES NOT WANT A "SINGING" CHIEF MINSTER

The war of words between the Sangmas got high-pitched today with Opposition Leader, Conrad Sangma saying, Meghalaya needs a responsible rather than a “singing Chief Minister.”

According to Conrad, Chief Minster Mukul Sangma was busy “singing and partying” even after ethnic riots broke out in Garo Hills, the opposition leader from the Nationalist Congress Party today accused.

Days after the ethnic riots broke out on January 1, Mukul was found in a party singing and didn’t accord the necessary importance to stump the violence, the opposition said.

Mukul is a known music fan and doesn’t shy away from handling the mike and has even a music album to his credit.

“The Chief Minster was partying and singing in Goiragiri (near Tura, headquarters of West Garo Hills district) after ethnic riots broke out in East Garo Hills,” Conrad accused in a press meet today.

The ethnic violence has claimed the lives of five people, seven were seriously injured and many times that number fled their homes for safety.

Stating that Meghalaya can do without a “singing Chief Minster,” Conrad said, Mukul should have acted in a responsible manner in tackling the law and order situation than involve in parties at that crucial juncture.

“We don’t want a singing Chief Minster, but someone who takes his work responsibly,” Conrad hit back after Mukul yesterday said Union Minster for Rural Development, Agatha Sangma was defying the district administration’s advice and visiting disturbed areas that could inflame the fragile law and order situation.

Calling Mukul a “nervous Chief Minster,” Conrad said the he was shying away from visiting the affected district and displaced people so far and dared him to do so, as his sister and father (Agatha and Purno A Sangma - former Lok Sabha speaker) were doing.

He said, Agatha was visiting the affected people to help them, in her capacity as a legislator from Garo Hills and Union Minister and never defied the district administration’s advice.

The opposition leader said the Chief Minster should have called an all-party meeting to take everyone into confidence to tackle the situation. “He (Mukul) must have taken the initiative to solve the issue, instead he is indulging in blame game,” he added.

UNION MINISTER DEFYING DIST ADM'S ADVICE:CM

Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Agatha Sangma is trying to inflame the law and order situation in riot-hit areas by visiting disturbed places against the district administration’s advice.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said here today he would register his government’s strong complaint to the Prime Minster about Agatha Sangma’s “distasteful behaviour” and to prevent her from such future “misadventure.”

“This is a distasteful behaviour. When the state government is trying to normalise the situation her movement in disturbed areas against the district administration’s advice would only worsen the law and order situation,” Sangma said at a press meet.

Attacking Agatha, her father, Tura MLA and NCP leader, PA Sangma of heeding advice of the district administration, the Chief Minster said, the attack on Agatha and her father on January 7 in one of Goalpara’s relief camps was a result of such misadventure.

“They went into the camp against the advice of the district administration and anything could have happened, the situation could have gone out of hand,” Mukul said.

Purno and his daughter escaped a mob fury when inmates of the Chotamatia relief camp in Goalpara gheraoed the politicians and tried to attack them. Troops were rushed in from Goalpara and had to fire in the air and also lathi-charge to disperse the mob.

“They (Purno and Agatha) are trying to take political mileage out of the situation instead of helping the state government,” Mukul said.

Terming Agatha as a “junior Union Minister,” Mukul in his sharpest attack on Purno, Agatha and her brother Conrad Sangma (Leader of the Opposition), reminded them that he was the Chief Minster.

“I am the Chief Minister. Are they (father-daughter-son trio) competing with the state government? They have not spoken to me till date to inquire about the situation and I wonder if they have done so to the Assam Chief Minster,” Mukul said.

The feud between Mukul and Purno-Agatha-Conrad has been bitter and at times turned ugly with personal attacks on each other. The NCP has been criticising the state government and particularly targeting the Chief Minster on a host of issues.

The NCP blamed the present Congress-led government of letting the present ethnic-strife of going out of control. Both Mukul and the NCP have claimed credit for timely deployment of troops in the riot-hit areas and visit of Union Home Ministry officials.

Meanwhile, Union Minster of state for Water Resource, Vincent Pala has been drawn into controversy for saying in a news channel that villagers would be able to sort out the ethnic violence in Assam and Meghalaya on their own.

He today apologised for his observation, stating, he was not aware of the ground situation and hence made the comment.

ETHNIC VIOLENCE "WELL ORGANISED"

Union Home Affairs Joint Secretary in-charge North Eastern States, Shambu Singh today said the clashes between Rabhas and Garos seemed “very well organised and not spontaneous.”

“The clashes were pre-planned and very well organised, however, involvement of militants’ in the clashes are ruled out, pending investigations though,” Singh said after a visit to riot-hit Goalpara and East Garo Hills district today.

The Army, he added, has arrested 89 people from along the Assam-Meghalaya border and seized a register assigning names of people to create trouble in trouble-torn areas.

“From the arrest, it has been initially established the conflict was planned and there maybe some organizations behind it. The clashes were not spontaneous,” Singh stated after his initial assessment of the ethnic clash.

The centre has decided to rush in four additional companies of security forces in Goalpara district where the situation has not improved over the past ten days.

Singh said there was firing from across Assam border today and the security forces have seized one AK-47 Rifle and one Light Machine Gun from the scene of the firing.

Ten Garo families, he added, have returned back to their respective homes from a relief camp in Mendipathar. “We expect more of this to take place, but it will take a bit of time. No one would like stay in the relief camps,” he added.

Singh after reviewing the relief camps said the situation was returning to normalcy in East Garo Hills, but security assessment suggest more troops are needed on the Assam side of the border.

“I visited the relief camps and assessed the ground situation. The situation is back to normal in East Garo Hills district, and is improving in Assam’s side. However, four more additional companies of Para-military forces would be sent to Assam apart from the already deployed five companies,” Singh said

Meghalaya today has arrested 103 rioters on its side of the boundary. The ten-day ethnic clash has displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Assam-Meghalaya Director Generals of Police is scheduled to meet tomorrow in Guwahati together with Singh and try set up a joint patrolling mechanism in the riot-hit areas.

30,000 DISPLACED IN MEGHALAYA

Meghalaya and Assam governments is staring at a
major humanitarian crisis with over 30,000 people displaced from their
homes so far due to outbreak of ethnic clash between Garos and Rabhas.
Both the state governments are setting up relief camps to accommodate
the sea of displaced people in East Garo Hills and Goalpara districts
of Meghalaya and Assam respectively.
In East Garo Hills, ten relief camps have been set up so far. “We have
at least 5400 displaced people in these camps from both Rabha and Garo
communities in the last count and it has been reported that another
30,000 are in various camps of Assam,” Meghalaya Chief Secretary, WMS
Pariat told reporters here today.
The centre has also rushed in five companies of paramilitary troops in
the trouble-torn areas. Another five companies is accepted anytime to
take stock of the law and order situation.
“The situation is yet to improve, but under control and no fresh
incidences of violence were reported today,” Pariat said.
East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi said there were no
reports of violence reported in East Garo Hills. “However, the border
with Assam is tense with lots of rumours doing the rounds and people
are naturally perturbed,” Bakshi added.
The district administration in East Garo Hills, meanwhile, is
struggling to provide basic amenities to the inmates of the camp and
with the winter chill apprehension of people falling sick is looming
large.
“The supplies are drying up in the all the three districts of Garo
Hills as the curfew and blockade by various groups on the main supply
route is hampering delivery of essential commodities,” he added.
Director General of Civil Defense and Home Guards WR Marbaniang said
20-25 of his men are deployed in the strife-torn areas providing help
to the displaced people. “We are in-charge of one of the relief camps
in Garo Hills,” Marbaniang said.
However, the Meghalaya government is trying to get essential
commodities and petroleum with the help of security forces, he said.
Meghalaya Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh visited the affected people in
relief camps of East Garo Hills. He also held meetings with various
political and Church leaders of the area and took stock of the
situation.

OVER 18000 DISPLACED IN MEGHALAYA DUE TO ETHNIC STRIFE

Over 18,000 Garo and Rabha tribals have been displaced from their homes in Assam and Meghalaya due to ethnic clash between the two communities, however, the figure could increase, official sources said.

Relief team has been rushed from the state capital here to assist rehabilitation of victims, although the situation in East Garo Hills in Meghalaya and Goalpara district in Assam is far from normal.

“We have set up six relief and rehabilitation camps in Kharkutta, Mendhipathar, Dainadubi and Dilma in East Garo Hills district. There are over 3000 victims in the camps from both communities,” Deputy Commissioner, Pravin Bakshi said over the phone from Resubelpara in Garo Hills.

The district administration is taking all steps to provide blankets, clean and safe drinking water, food and medical assistance to the displaced victims.

“We are doing our best to ensure that no lives are lost. The medical team has been moving around in these camps to prevent outbreak of any disease,” Bakshi added.

In Goalpara district the number is much higher. PK Goswami, the Deputy Commissioner of Goalpara district said, by evening today 15,400 victims were lodged in 12 relief camps of the district. The victims are from both communities.

“We are providing all help to the victims. Security is a big concern now. Once that issue is addressed we would seriously look into rehabilitating the victims,” Goswami said over the phone.


Both the Deputy Commissioners have had telephonic conversations this morning and are coordinating to bring the situation under control. They both said although the situation, in their respective districts, is under control the overall law and order condition is far from satisfactory.

“No freash violence were reported today in the district,” Bakhsi and Goswami said about the law and order situation in their respective districts. The ethnic clash has claimed the lives of four people in Garo Hills yesterday. Several others were injured.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Peoples’ Human Rights Council (MPHRC) today demanded that both governments (Assam-Meghalaya) must take immediate steps to avoid further loses of lives.

It further urged that all incidents of human rights abuses in the context of the violence are thoroughly investigated and that the perpetrator(s) of the crime are promptly brought to justice.

The rights groups also demanded that steps must be taken so that people who were displaced due to such violence returns to their homes safely.

“The MPHRC emphasises the right of all the peoples who where displaced in the violence to voluntary return to their homes. It calls upon both the Government to ensure a safe and dignified environment for their return.”