GARO-Rabha clash started from January 1, this year in the Garo Hills District of Meghalaya and adjoining Goalpara district of Assam in which 27 people mostly Rabha Hindus have been killed, 1,550 houses have been burnt, 50,000 people have been displaced, hundreds of people are seriously injured and property worth crores of rupees have been burnt, simmering tension prevails and the age – old mutual trust and cordiality have been disturbed. The President Sikram Sangma and Secretary Jitendra Rabha have written a long letter dated 15.1.11 to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh stating a pre-planned conspiracy behind the current clash between Garos and Rabhas – the two communities matrimonially connected with each other. While stating the background of the conspiracy the memorandum reads – “Garo Janjatis are in majority in East Garo Hills district of Meghalaya and Rabhas are in minority, while Rabha janjatis are in majority, in Goalpara district of Assam and Garos are in minority here. Both are bordering districts. Unfortunately, 85 per cent Garos have been converted to Christianity in Meghalaya and Assam. 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. There are some political leaders across the party line who are reportedly fomenting the militants to cause the cruelty. Again, there are Bangladeshi Muslims in sizeable number most of whom have married Garo girls mostly from Christian converts. These neo-Muslims with Christian Garo girls as their housewives have an eye on the fertile plain cultivable land owned by Rabha Hindus. The economic conditions of Rabha are not bad. They have matching economic condition. These Muslims want to oust Rabhas from their villages so that they can occupy displaced Rabha’s land. These Muslims have formed a United Front comprised of Garo Christians, Muslims and disgruntled non-Rabha groups. They are helping Garos in burning Rabha villages.”
“The Garos and Rabhas have been living together cordially from centuries. They have matrimonial relations with each other. They share their joys and sorrows on every festive occasion with each other. They participate in the festivals and domestic ceremonies of each other. Hindu Garos and Hindu Rabhas, both, are docile and sober in nature. Because of this docility, all the Rabha Hindus of nearly twenty surrounding villages rendered their selfless services turn by turn when A’chik Baptist Dalgipa Krima – ABDK (Garo Baptist Convention – GBC) held its Baptist Convention at Resubelpara in December 2007. This Resubelpara is originally a Rabha village but after creation of separate Meghalaya State in 1971, Garos achieved more political mileage over Rabhas demographically. Again, ABDK (A’chik Baptist Dalgipa Krima – Garo Baptist Convention) held its next Baptist Church Convention in Darangiri village of Goalpara district in Assam in 2008. This village also has a mixed population of Garos and Rabhas. Here, Hindu Rabhas have little edge over Christian Garos. The people of the area talk of hidden agenda of church in organising 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 machinery masked NGOs and anti-national Human Rights Organisations. Some of the Rabha Christians also are reported to be spying for Garo Churches against Rabha Hindus.”
(To be concluded)
