A CORRESPONDENT
DIBRUGARH: The All Assam Sema Naga Council (AASNC) submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma requesting him to protect their culture and language. Sema Nagas are the residents of Tirap Tribal belt under Margherita sub-division in upper Assam Tinsukia district.
The memorandum stated, "Our forefathers were brought to this part of the world by the British authorities in the interest and services of the British India in successive waves since 1881. Our forefathers had responded to the call of duty and had moved out from NEFA, Naga hills to the present locations in different periods of time; for colliery, brick work and oil exploration in 1881 and 1901, for land survey in NEFA region in 1925 and for the road survey, forest clearance and Stilwell Road construction in 1942 from Ledo to Pangsau Pass to Kunming in China. We have been living here for centuries but our existence has not been made evident to the larger knowledge of the people of Assam till today."
"For the purpose of holistic growth of the community in areas of Education, Agriculture, Social, Cultural and Language development, we pray that the government of Assam under the department of Welfare Plain Tribes & Backward Classes to earmark specific budgetary provision in the yearly an estimate of amount of rupees fifty crores should be allocated to the aboriginal Sema Naga Tribe for the welfare and uplift of the people," the memorandum stated.
The memorandum further added, "We demand immediate creation of the Tirap Autonomous District Council. We would like to draw your attention about the long standing grievances of the extremely backward and politically deprived indigenous aboriginal tribal people like the Sema, Singnho, Tangsa and Man Tai Speaking Communities in the Tirap Tribal belt. Some areas of Margherita should be transferred to the community. In fact, the said demand of the tribal people of the area is absolutely constitutional."
"We demand 50% employment reservation for the indigenous community in the State government, in the Institution and Public Sector Undertaking of Central Government like Coal India Limited (CIL), Oil India Limited (OIL), Indian OIL Company Limited (IOCL), and in the private sector also both State government of Assam & Central Government of India should take step for recruitment of ST (Hills)," the memorandum stated.
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