Tribal convention
Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Tribal bodies of the state on Monday demanded that the government of Assam enact a law to provide land pattas to the tribal people residing for decades on government VGR, Khas Land and wetlands. Their demand was aimed at ensuring constitutional safeguards for the tribal people.
The demand was raised during a state-level tribal convention held at Machkhowa Pragjyoti ITA, Guwahati, under the auspices of the Coordination Committee for Tribal Organisations Association (CCTOA). The convention was chaired by Sukumar Basumatary, President of All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS); Dipen Boro, President of All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU); and Tilak Doley, President of Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK). The event was inaugurated by Tankeswar Rabha, CEM, Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. Other resource persons also participated in the meet.
The CCTOA convention extensively deliberated on the constitutional safeguards for the tribal people of Assam and unanimously adopted another resolution expressing deep concern over the Assam government's cabinet decision on July 31, 2025, to declare the Ahom, Moran, Matak, Koch-Rajbongshi, Chutia, and Gorkha communities of the Tirap Belt as a protected class, which they felt will have a serious negative impact on the aboriginal communities of Tirap that include the Singpho, Khamtis, Tai-Phake, Tai-Turung, Tai-Khamyang, Sema, and Tangsa.
A resolution adopted in the convention also sought to demand that the state government immediately execute its decision to include the tribal villages currently outside the existing tribal belts and blocks for the protection of the tribal people.
The other resolutions adopted at the meet include eviction of illegal settlers from tribal belts/blocks as per the Gauhati HC verdict (PIL 78/2012); Sixth Schedule status to Rabha, Mising, and Tiwa Autonomous Councils; constitutional status to Sonowal, Thengal, Boro Kachari, and Deori Autonomous Councils; and declaration of new autonomous councils for Mech, Hajong, and small indigenous groups of the Tirap Belt, including Singpho, Khamti, Tai-Phake, Tai-Turung, Tai-Khamyang, Sema, and Tangsa communities.
It was reiterated that 8,000 reserved backlog posts for ST (Plains) and ST (Hills) left vacant despite mass recruitments should be filled. Restoration of nodal authority of the 1978 Reservation Act to the Tribal Affairs (Plain) Dept was also demanded.
The revival of the NE Tribal Museum & Cultural Centre at Nazirakhat, Kamrup Metro, was also demanded.
The convention further condemned the August 15 attack on Khasi tribals in Cachar by Rohingya miscreants, demanding strict action against the perpetrators.
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