Tribal bodies demand formation of Tirap council

GUWAHATI: Addressing a press meet, the All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) and Tirap Tribal Autonomous District Council Demand Committee on Wednesday said that altogether 173 villages have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on Tuesday demanding formation of Tirap Tribal Autonomous District Council.

AATS president Milan Sonowal said the indigenous communities residing in the border areas of Assam and Arunachal have been agitating regarding the formation of Tirap Tribal Autonomous District Council since 1995.

If before the winter session no solution is delivered then we will boycott the 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly Election, said Sonowal.

It is to be noted that the total population of Tirap community in the State is around 1.5 lakh. Further, Sonowal informed the mediapersons about various indigenous communities residing in Assam-Arunachal border in Margherita under Tinsukia district.

"There are people from various indigenous communities like Tai-Khamyangs, Singpho - one of the oldest communities in the region, Sonowal Kachari, Deuri, Mising, and Rabha. In that area, three mouzas have been combined to form the Tirap Tribal Belt and the Tirap community has their own cultural heritage," said Sonowal.

"It has been a long-standing demand to form the council; however, no government has paid heed to our problems. Thus, we have submitted a memorandum to CM Sarbananda Sonowal hoping that this time the government will find a solution," he asserted.

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