Assam: Tirap tribal belt faces ongoing land encroachment dispute

The Tirap Frontier Tract, established on March 13, 1951, under the Assam government led by then-Chief Minister Gopinath Bordoloi, is facing significant challenges due to alleged illegal land encroachments.

 

Originally formed in Shillong and covering 4,000 square kilometres of the Patkai foothills, the region was merged into the general area before being designated as "Tirap."

 

The tract was divided into two Mouzas – Makum and Tirap – with Tirap Mouza incorporated into the Tirap Tribal Belt. Bisa Jawkhong Ladoi, the first Mouzadar of Tirap Mouza, was recognised by the British India Government for his role in administration.

 

The tribal belt is home to 47 villages, predominantly inhabited by communities such as Tangsa Naga, Sema Naga, Singpho, Tai Khamti, and Tai Phakey, who have lived in the region for centuries, according to retired Assam government official Bhogeswar Shyam.

 

Kotha village, named after freedom fighter and social reformer Late King Kotha Jawra Singpho, holds historical significance. King Kotha Jawra Singpho was honoured with a British medal for his contributions to the Singpho tribe and was authorized to collect land revenue in the Tirap Tribal Belt.

 

However, Bhogeswar Shyam alleges that land designated for grazing in Kotha village was destroyed during the tenure of former Assam Chief Ministers Gopinath Bordoloi and Bishnu Ram Medhi, leading to an influx of settlers from Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, and other regions of Assam.

 

Currently, Sen Gam Singpho, the son of the Late King Kotha Jawra Singpho, serves as the chief of Kotha Gam Singpho village and continues to uphold his family’s legacy. However, over 1,000 Bighas of land in the Tirap Tribal Belt have reportedly been illegally occupied by non-indigenous settlers. Shyam claims that Assam authorities have ignored key land protection laws, including the Assam Land Revenue Regulation Act and the Bengal Eastern Regulation Act of 1873, leading to violations of Chapter 10 of these regulations.

 

Shyam further alleges that individuals such as Dipak Bharali have unlawfully occupied 625 Bighas, while Dipak Chetry and Pradit Chetry have encroached upon 32 Bighas using fraudulent refugee rehabilitation documents from Sadiya. He also raises concerns over violations of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, citing repeated attacks on the village chief and his family by outsiders. Only four Singpho families remain in Kotha Gam Singpho village, living in fear due to ongoing threats and suppression.

 

Additionally, essential government services remain inaccessible to Kotha Gam Singpho village. Poor road conditions, soil erosion, and continuous encroachment have further deteriorated the living conditions. The graveyard of freedom fighter Kotha Jawra Singpho has also reportedly been encroached upon.

 

Despite multiple appeals to the Margherita Co-District Commissioner, Margherita MLA, Lekhapani police, Tinsukia District Commissioner, Tinsukia Superintendent of Police, and the Assam government, no concrete action has been taken, Shyam claims. He now plans to escalate the matter to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), the President of India, and even the United Nations Secretary-General in Geneva.

 

When contacted, officials from the Margherita Co-District Administration stated that they would look into the matter, but no further details were provided.