Christians & Meghalaya government blamed for Garo–Rabha conflict

23 January 2011
Dimapur, January 22 (MExN): A surprising memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister of India seeking his intervention today blamed Christians and the Meghalaya government ‘in nexus with “Christian terrorist outfits”’ for the ongoing ethnic clashes between the Garo and Rabha communities in the Assam-Meghalaya borders. The memorandum appended by leaders of “Garo-Rabha Peace Council” said the Christian churches are “very aggressive” and there is a “hidden agenda” of the church. The memorandum even went so far as to claim the area’s people are hapless and “they have to bear the brunt in silence due to fear of Christian terrorist outfits.”

The church “spying” on the communities and is providing “surveillance service and material help” to the “Christian terrorist outfits,” the statement claimed. The memorandum even called ‘unfortunate’ that majority of the Garo people are Christians. The memorandum was appended by Sikram Sangma, president and Jitendra Rabha, general secretary.

“Unfortunately, 85% Garos have been converted to Christianity in Meghalaya and Assam – both the states. A’chik National Volunteer’s Council (ANVC) and Garo National Liberation Force (GNLF) are two Christian militant outfits active in Garo Hills district of Meghalaya and Goalpara. Church is allegedly providing surveillance service and material help to these outfits.”

The memorandum further said of the Bangladeshi Muslims most of whom have married Garo girls “mostly from Christian converts” and that they have an eye on the fertile cultivable lands “owned by Rabha Hindus.” According to the “Garo-Rabha Peace Council” the Garo and Rabha have been living together cordially. But “the people of the area talk of hidden agenda of church in organizing two consecutive Baptist church conversions in villages inhabitated mostly by Rabha Hindus. Garo Baptist church foresees a rich harvest in Rabha Hindu community. Rabha Hindus and Garo Hindus resist this church onslaught. But Church appears to be heavy over Rabha Hindus due to the hostile and unholy nexus between Church, militant outfits, Bangladeshi Muslims and selfish political leaders across the party line including Meghalaya government…’

The “Garo-Rabha Peace Council” said the missionary mission of the church is “very aggressive and multipronged in this area.” Before and after the Christmas, the programs of the church and door-to-door contact by missionaries were aggressive “which Rabhas do not like” but “they are helpless and they have to bear the brunt in silence due to fear of Christian terrorist outfits.”

The social chaos and civil uprising is a “golden opportunity to Church for rich harvest” the memorandum said. The memorandum claimed that the church has a role in the Dimasa-Karbi clash in 2005 and Dimasa–Jeme upheaval in 2009.

“Similarly, the hostile role of church is also experienced in current clash between Garos and Rabhas. This opinion is strengthened by the fact that altogether 10 mandirs of Rabha Hindus have been burnt down in various Rabha villages whereas not even a single church is harmed,” the memorandum asserted.

“In present clash between Rabhas and Garos, Christianity plays a major role. On 30th October 2010, a temple of Rabha Hindus in William Nagar was attacked by Garo Christians while protesting against civic polls in Garo Hills. In this context, the Rabhas fear the dubious role of Garo Baptist Convention and Father S. Santiago, Director of the North-East Diocesan Social Forum.”

The memorandum also cited the turn of events and an incident which the “Garo-Rabha Peace council” claimed led to the razing of some 40 houses “belonging to Rabha Hindus” by rioters who were “all” Garo Christians.

“By 5/1/2011, more than 2000 Rabha families (nearly 12,000 people) were displaced after 200 Rabha houses were torched by Garo miscreants. Within 10 days of violence up to 10/1/2011, reportedly, 27 people mostly Rabha Hindus have been killed, 1550 houses have been burnt and 50,000 people from 32 villages have been displaced living in 25 Rabha camps in Assam and 6 Garo camps and 2 Rabha camps in East Garo Hills (Meghalaya). Reportedly, 300 miscreants were arrested but their identities were not disclosed purposely.”

The Prime Minister is asked to deploy more security forces to restore normalcy in the area; deploy the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to “investigate the destructive role of nexus of church, militant outfits, Bangladeshi Muslims, political leaders across the party line and dubious Non-Governmental Organisations”

Rupees 1 Lakh in cash and 10 bundles of CGI sheets, “good quality”, should be given to each family whose houses have been burnt, while Rupees 10 Lakh should be given to family members of each killed persons, the memorandum demanded.

Other demands included sufficient food supply and healthcare facilities, utensils, stationeries and text books, exercise books, security arrangements; identification of the culprits and awarding punishment to them; resettlement of the displaced people and restoring their land to them; clean drinking water in all relief camps and sanitary facility to avoid the spread of diseases.