US embassy cable - 05CALCUTTA372

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CALCUTTA 000372 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KRIM, CASC, SOCI, IN, ASEC, Human Rights 
SUBJECT: ETHNIC VIOLENCE FLARES IN ASSAM 
 
1. (U) Summary: Between September 26 and October 18, ethnic 
violence in the Karbi Anglong district of the Northeast Indian 
state of Assam claimed 73 lives.  Conflict over territorial 
control and retaliation between the insurgent groups of the 
Karbi and Dimasa tribals has instigated the bloodbath.  The 
Congress-led state government, facing elections in May 2006, is 
attempting to initiate negotiations and confidence-building 
measures to restore normal relations between the two 
communities.  However, opposition political parties have 
criticized the state Congress leaders for failing to respond 
quickly enough to stem the violence.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) Since September 26, ethnic violence in Karbi Anglong 
district in Northeast India's Assam state has claimed 73 lives. 
During the first week of October, clashes between Karbi and 
Dimasa tribals left 31 dead and 400 houses torched.  On October 
17, suspected Dimasa militants killed 34 Karbi bus passengers - 
hacking 26 of them to death -- and burned more than 125 houses. 
On October 18, 167 houses were destroyed. The war between the 
two tribes began on September 26, when three Dimasas were hacked 
to death by Karbi militants.  Two days later, in retaliation 
three Karbis were killed.  A "tit-for-tat" situation now 
prevails, with escalating atrocities on both sides.  To protect 
those caught in the middle, the District administration has set 
up relief camps to shelter tribals who fled their homes when 
their villages were attacked.  Curfew has also been imposed. 
 
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REBELS BATTLE FOR TERRITORY 
--------------------------- 
 
3. (U) On several occasions in the past, Karbi Anglong has 
witnessed ethnic violence involving Karbis and other 
communities.  This time, hostilities with the Dimasas have 
intensified and the involvement of militant groups has 
aggravated the situation. According to the police, the ethnic 
war is perpetrated by militant outfits - the Karbis United 
People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dimasas Dima 
Halong Daogah (DHD).  Both groups are under a ceasefire with the 
GOI, but are now in a battle with each other for territorial 
control in Karbi Anglong.  The UPDS demands a separate homeland 
for Karbis and the DHD wants the same for the Dimasas.  Both 
groups claim territory in Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills 
districts. 
 
4. (SBU) The Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front 
(KLNLF), a breakaway faction of the UPDS and opposed to talks 
with the GOI, may also be participating in the killings. DHD 
Chairman Dilip Nunisa reportedly blamed the outfit's 
"anti-talks" faction "Black Widow" for the violence, denying 
that the main outfit was responsible.  A senior Assam police 
official told post that although there is little doubt that 
militants are responsible for the carnage, it is difficult to 
specifically identify the culprits since the site is very 
remote, communication poor and the terrain difficult.  Most of 
the area is inaccessible for the administration and the police. 
 
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SEEKING A SOLUTION 
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5. (SBU) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered a judicial 
probe into the violence.  The state government has also 
suggested that the UPDS and DHD negotiate for peace.  On October 
18, Gogoi met the UPDS leadership, which reportedly demanded the 
immediate shifting of the DHD designated camp - that are 
established after a militant group has signed ceasefire 
agreements with the GOI -- from the Dhansiri area of Karbi 
Anglong.  The cadres of this camp are allegedly involved in the 
violence.  The state government also plans to meet DHD leaders. 
A Congress Minister told CONGEN that the government is adopting 
confidence-building measures to ensure the Karbis and Dimasas 
agree to coexist peacefully, since the problem cannot be solved 
by deploying security forces alone. He asserted that Assam (home 
of more than 30 tribes) has historically been an arena for 
ethnic conflict. 
 
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FLAK FROM THE OPPOSITION 
------------------------ 
 
6. (U) Meanwhile, opposition political parties including the 
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 
have held the state's ruling Congress responsible for failing to 
stop the mayhem.  They note that the Congress Party also has the 
majority of the representatives in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous 
Council (KAAC) that locally governs Karbi Anglong district.  The 
BJP has demanded imposition of President's Rule in the state. 
The state unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has held 
the Congress government responsible for the massacres and 
demanded the government ensure no further casualties. 
7.  (SBU) Comment: The Congress-led Assam government is anxious 
to stop the escalating violence as soon as possible.  State 
elections are expected in May 2006 and the government had 
already been working to resolve a host of other insurgencies, 
such advocating negotiations between the GOI and the major 
insurgent group, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). 
However, this recent fighting reflects how fractious the 
communities are in Assam and constitutes a significant setback 
for the government.  CM Gogoi is now desperately applying 
available resources to both security and political 
confidence-building measures to tackle the situation. 
 
JARDINE