Tribal leaders in Assam insist on written assurances to safeguard the Tirap Tribal Belt, warning of demographic and cultural disruption if non-tribals are allowed in.
BY PC Bureau
August 21, 2025: Major tribal bodies on Thursday called a 12-hour Assam bandh to defend land rights and indigenous identity, even as thousands marched in Diphu a day earlier against the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) over alleged dilution of Sixth Schedule protections.
The simmering land dispute in Upper Assam’s Tirap Tribal Belt has now escalated, with a coalition of tribal organisations announcing a 48-hour bandh in Margherita, Tinsukia district, from August 23. The bandh coincides with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s planned visit to the coal town on August 24, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
At the core of the unrest is the Assam Cabinet’s August 18 decision granting protected class status to several non-tribal groups—a move tribal leaders say will open the door to outside settlement in the Tirap Tribal Belt bordering Arunachal Pradesh. While successive governments created tribal belts and blocks to safeguard indigenous land, civil society groups in Upper Assam have long accused policymakers of steadily diluting those protections.
“We will begin the blockade at 5 am on August 23 and continue it for 48 hours. The bandh will be withdrawn only if Prime Minister Narendra Modi agrees to meet us,” declared the Margherita District Tribal Association. Leaders said the government must roll back its decision and issue a clear written assurance by 5 pm on August 23, reaffirming existing safeguards.
READ: Biren Singh Tape: CFSL Made Mockery of Forensic Protocols
Speaking at press briefings in both Margherita and Guwahati, members of the Tribal Coordination Forum insisted they are not against development but warned that tribal identity and customary rights were at risk. “We do not oppose progress, but we must protect the land and identity of tribal people,” said a spokesperson.
The leaders criticised what they described as repeated verbal assurances without formal notification during earlier rounds of dialogue. “We want a written assurance, not just promises. If the government values peace, it must provide clarity,” another leader said.
Large stretches of land designated as Tribal Belt & Block areas in Assam have faced encroachment over the decades, threatening the very foundation of our people’s existence.
For us in BTR, land is not just soil; it is our identity and our source of socio-economic security. That… pic.twitter.com/5KfTMijgwh
— Pramod Boro (@PramodBoroBTR) August 19, 2025
They added that essential services would be exempted from the bandh. “We do not want to trouble ordinary people with this protest. Our call is for the government to hear our voice,” said a coalition representative.
READ: Was Manipur Violence Pre-Planned? PUCL Report Challenges ‘Spontaneous’ Narrative
The coalition has sought intervention from Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and other senior leaders, insisting that only a directive from the top leadership can defuse tensions. “We hope the Union Minister recognises the seriousness of this issue,” said a youth leader.
Meanwhile, government sources indicated that while no fresh notification has been issued, the state remains open to dialogue. “We are holding discussions at various levels to avoid misunderstandings,” an insider said.
The Tirap Tribal Belt, covering parts of Tinsukia, has long been a flashpoint for conflict over land transfer and settlement norms. Tribal groups fear that opening the belt to non-tribals would trigger demographic shifts, cultural disruption, and loss of customary rights.
The coalition has warned that unless the state provides a written assurance and initiates formal negotiations by August 22, the bandh will go ahead. “If the government listens, we will withdraw the bandh. If not, we will have no choice but to continue,” the coalition leaders declared.
Protest at Dipu
The hill town of Diphu, headquarters of Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, witnessed massive protests on Wednesday as residents marched against the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), accusing it of compromising tribal land rights for corporate interests.
The rally, led by All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) president Jones Ingti Kathar, drew political groups, student activists, and ordinary citizens who warned that Sixth Schedule protections were being systematically eroded. The march began at Birla and concluded outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
Much of the anger was directed at KAAC Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang and the BJP-led council. Protesters alleged that prime tribal land, meant to be safeguarded under the Constitution, was being handed over to private companies—threatening both livelihoods and the cultural identity of indigenous hill communities.
Joining the agitation, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi launched a scathing attack on the KAAC leadership, accusing it of betraying the trust of tribal people.
