The change in the nomenclature of the hill district was approved “in principle” by the Tarun Gogoi cabinet last night, in accordance with a major demand of the Jewel Gorlosa faction of the DHD, which came over ground on October 2 last year.
However, Dilip Nunisa, the chairman of the DHD (D) — which has been on ceasefire since 2003 and holding peace parleys with the Centre — made it clear that unless the exercise was “uniform,” it would be “futile and meaningless”.
Nunisa pointed out that the Dimasas are known as the Burman community in Cachar district while they are also known as Hojai in Nagaon and Karbi Anglong districts.
He demanded that the change in the name of the district should be made “uniformly” applicable to all the Dimasa-populated areas in Assam and Nagaland.
Nunisa reiterated the group’s demand for a Dimaraji state, incorporating the Dimasa-inhabited areas in the state and adjoining Nagaland.
He also disclosed that the next round of talks between the Centre, the Assam government and DHD (D) is now scheduled with the interlocutor for talks with the pro-peace rebel groups in Assam, P.C. Haldar, in New Delhi on February 17.
The talks come against the backdrop of Haldar saying that the Centre wants the DHD-D to scale down its demands including that of integration of areas adjacent to North Cachar Hills. The DHD-D wants areas in Karbi Anglong, Nagaon and Cachar, besides Dhansiri valley under Dimapur subdivision, integrated with NC Hills.
Following the Centre’s decision to initiate the process to create Telangana, Nunisa said that the move had “further invigorated” his supporters to realize the 20-year-old demand for a Dimaraji state.
On the other hand, leaders of the DHD (J) held talks with Haldar on their demands in December. The outfit’s main demand was renaming of NC Hills as Dima Hasao Raji, which other communities in the district are opposed to.
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