Arunachal Buddhists allege militants harassment

August 29, 2004

ConversionWatch, "cw_moderator"

<cw_moderator> wrote:

The Assam Tribune

Guwahati, Monday, August 23, 2004

NORTH EAST GUWAHATI, Aug 22 – The Buddhist community of the region

has expressed deep concern over the rising incidents of harassment

and persecution of Buddhist tribals by militants and security forces

alike in the remote locations of Arunachal Pradesh. The twin militant

outfits, NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) have demanded annexation of land from

the Buddhist and other indigenous faith followers of Rima Putak,

Thikhak Putak, Motongsa and Longchong villages in Tirap – Changlang

district in Arunachal Pradesh and issued a decree for their

conversion to Christianity. The militant outfits have left the

villagers with two options – embrace Christianity or face capital

punishment. With death staring at their face, most of the adult

members have fled the villages to escape torture from both sides,

resulting in disruption of agricultural activities.

The outlawed organisations have persecuted several villagers for

their alleged role in passing vital information to the Assam Rifles.

On the other hand, the Army too allegedly harasses the villagers on

the pretext of providing food and shelter, but not reporting and

keeping tabs on the militants' activities. In a recently held joint

Buddhist session of the Purvanchal Buddhist Bhikkhu Sangha and

Purvanchal Buddhist Association at Namphakey near Naharkatia in

Dibrugarh district of Assam, frontline Buddhist leaders of both the

states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have strongly condemned the

heinous atrocities committed by the militants on the peace-loving

Buddhists and tribal cult followers and sought the immediate

intervention of the Centre and the state to ensure the security of

lives and properties of the affected people.

They opined that India being a secular nation with composite culture,

every citizen or individual has the inherent right to profess and

practice his religion. The leaders said that what is happening in

Arunachal Pradesh is a glaring example of violation of human rights.

This was stated in a press release.

--- End forwarded message ---

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