Karbi leader Litsong Rongphor on Friday said that the situation in Karbi Anglong has become very serious after the recent violence and growing tension over land issues. He said the unrest shows the anger and pain of the local people, who feel that their long-pending problems have not been solved for many years.
Rongphor was speaking after a tripartite meeting held in Guwahati between Karbi groups, the Assam government and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. He said the state government has agreed to cancel all trade licences issued after 1951, which has been a key demand of Karbi organisations to protect tribal land and community rights.
He also said the government had agreed in principle to evict outsiders from departmental and reserve lands, including Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) areas. However, he added that the situation on the ground remains tense and sensitive. According to him, Karbi society will first discuss the decisions together and then decide whether they are satisfied. He stressed that the movement belongs to the Karbi people as a whole and not to any single party or organisation.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also addressed the media after the meeting. He said the matter had been delayed mainly because the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council did not file its affidavit before the Gauhati High Court for the past two years. This, he said, slowed down the legal process related to PGR-VGR land disputes. The council has now been directed to submit the affidavit before January 5, so that the court can take up the case without confusion.
The recent violence in West Karbi Anglong led to loss of lives, injuries and damage to property. The protests began after demands from Karbi groups to evict alleged encroachers from reserve lands in the Sixth Schedule area. Security forces continue to remain on alert to stop any further violence.
The Chief Minister said the government wants to resolve the problem peacefully through talks, legal clarity and proper administration. Another round of meetings is expected in mid-January to review the progress of the decisions taken.