Assam-Arunachal border blockade gets tense

Simmering tension prevailed in areas along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border after Naga miscreants set ablaze some houses in Namsang area while vehicles were stranded due to a blockade on a road linking the two states.

Police said the Naga miscreants set ablaze the houses at Namsang village near the Joypur reserve forest in the district.

Joint patrolling by Assam and Arunachal Pradesh police were continuing even as the blockade on the Margherita- Changlang Road was held to protest alleged attempts by Arunachal Pradesh to encroach on land in Assam and violence by NSCN-IM.

The blockade initially called for 72 hours, was reduced to 12 hours considering hardship to the people, United Liberation Front of Asom pro-talk group's secretary Jiten Dutta told PTI.

"If Arunachal continues to support the greater Nagalim demand of the NSCN-IM, then its indigenous Adi, Khampti and Misimi ethnic groups who were never a part of Nagaland will lose their distinct identity," Dutta warned.

Reacting to NSCN-IM's warning that the economic blockade be lifted by on Wednesday or else Assamese people residing in Arunachal Pradesh would be attacked, Dutta said, "If the threat is carried out, we will also not spare the Nagas living in Assam."

Dutta appealed to the central and Arunachal Pradesh governments to evict NSCN-IM cadres from camps in Tirap and Changlang districts of that state.

He also urged the people and student unions to be vigilant against the 'greater Nagalim' demand by NSCN-IM.

The pro-talk group's chairman Mrinal Hazarika said, "NSCN-IM cadre who are supposed to stay in designated camps have broken the ceasefire rules and are moving about freely with arms. The Centre should control them."

The blockade was also called to demand steps by the Centre for immediately halting the NSCN-IM and other elements trying to occupy land in Assam for greater Nagalim.

NSCN-IM militants and some locals in Arunachal Pradesh are alleged to have been behind sporadic incidents of violence. They exchanged fire with security forces in Assam on August 14 at Charaipung and Bimalapur in Sivasagar district.