Tribal body calls for 12-hour strike against Amchang eviction

Normal life was disrupted today in various districts, due to a 12-hour bandh called by a body of tribal groups to protest the eviction drive to clear alleged encroachment at Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary here.
The strike called by the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations, Assam (CCTOA) has affected normal life at various places, including Dibrugarh, Morigaon, Majuli and Nagaon districts, officials said.
Bandh supporters demanded immediate halt of the eviction drive carried out as per directions of the Gauhati High Court.
The CCTOA, Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK) and Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK) agitators burnt tyres and stopped traffic on National Highway-37 in Jagiroad, Morigaon and NH-15 at Khanamukh, Sonitpur, the officials said.

A Congress delegation, led by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi and state unit chief Ripun Bora, visited the eviction site.
Gogoi termed the exercise as "inhuman" and requested the government to immediately stop it on humanitarian grounds.

"During our tenure also, such evictions used to happen. But, we had stopped it for humanitarian issues. This time, there was no notice, no information was given and demolition of houses started with a surprise. We condemn it," he said.
Gogoi, who was given a warm reception by the locals, said most people living on the hills of Amchang are the flood affected Mising tribe, and they are indigenous community of the state.

"If the government can give hundreds of bighas of land to Patanjali by amending land use, then why can't poor people be given place to live? We demand rehabilitation to all the people immediately," the senior Congress leader said.
The CPI(M), too, "condemned" the eviction drive and asked the authorities to put a stop to it.
"The entire exercise is being carried out in a barbaric way. We are not against clearing the forest land. However, there should be proper rehabilitation to the people, as they are our own and have come to the city after losing everything in the floods," senior party leader Hemen Das said.

Other groups like the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and All Assam Students' Union have also protested the exercise.
Meanwhile, the eviction drive continued for the third day today, although it was carried out on the other side of the sanctuary, where some industrial units are located and residential units were not demolished, the officials said.