Assam riots: For peace to return, illegal weapons need to be seized

30 August, 2012

While on one hand, it is claimed that the security forces have launched an operation to snatch all the illegal arms and ammunition from Bodos, but on the ground we have been witnessing the killing of people from the minority community. If the government wants the killings to stop and peace to return to the violence-hit districts, it needs to strip Bodos of the arms and ammunition as soon as possible.

ASSAM IS burning again and in the fresh violence, two more dead bodies were found on Sunday. In renewed violence 9 people have been killed in last two days.

On Saturday, 7 Muslims were hacked to death while returning to their village from a relief camp. The total number of people killed in Assam ethnic violence since July now stands to 88.

On Sunday morning a man’s body bearing injury marks was found at Sukhanjora village in Dhubri district. Another body was noticed in Chirang on Saturday night. Assailants also seriously injured a woman and a child near Salakati station in Kakrajhar on Sunday who were later admitted to Bongaigaon hospital.

CM Tarun Gogoi has sent agriculture minister Nilmani Sen Deka to Malipara in Bijni to take stock of the situation. Meanwhile, a protest was lodged before Bijni police station demanding arrest of attackers and banning Bodoland Territorial Council.

Although administration has been claiming that all efforts are being made to curb the violence, but it seems, not much is done to stop the armed Bodos from killing the Muslims. Had all the arms been snatched from these Bodos, they wouldn't have been able to continue butchering of the poeple from minority community. It is high time that government make all the efforts, using the army and other paramilitary forces to launch operations to strip Bodos of their illegal weapons.