Dimapur: The All Rengma Welfare Organisation (ARWO) Assam–Nagaland on Friday urged the Assam government to initiate steps for the recognition and restoration of the traditional rights of the Rengma Nagas over their ancestral lands.
Extending heartfelt appreciation to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the decisive action taken by the Assam government in evicting illegal settlers from the Rengma Reserve Forest under Uriamghat in Golaghat district, the ARWO appealed to the government to continue such lawful and rightful actions and to ensure the protection of the Rengma Reserve Forest.
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It further urged the government to implement permanent measures to prevent future encroachments.
The ARWO lauded Chief Minister Sarma’s political will and administrative clarity in upholding the rights of indigenous people while also addressing the issue of illegal migration, which has deeply impacted the socio-political fabric of Assam, Nagaland, and other northeastern states.
“This action marks a significant step toward restoring justice, law and order, and long-standing indigenous rights in the region,” ARWO president Akhu Kath and Tegibu Tep said in a release.
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The ARWO stated that the Rengma Reserve Forest, subject to widespread encroachment in recent decades, is not just an ecological asset, but also holds profound ancestral, historical, and cultural importance for the Rengma Naga tribe, one of the region’s oldest indigenous communities.
The land forms part of the traditional Rengma homeland, predating modern administrative boundaries and political developments. It is a living heritage site for the Rengma people, deeply embedded in their identity and cultural continuity.
The ARWO also expressed gratitude to various civil society organisations, youth groups, Naga political organisations, and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for taking proactive steps to protect the state’s border.