What started as a minor dispute between two farmers, one from Assam and the other from Nagaland - over a piece of land they were mutually cultivating on the disputed area along the Assam-Nagaland border - turned into a major flashpoint, leaving at least 13 people dead and engulfing Assam in a law-and-order crisis.
Though the dispute was later resolved by locals, tension ran high on the Assam side after Naga miscreants, suspected to be members of the banned National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), abducted two adivasi boys from Assam on August 11. A day later, armed Naga miscreants raided border villages in Assam, gunning down nine people and setting scores of huts ablaze.
Since then, at least 10,000 people have fled the area and taken shelter at relief camps.
This was followed by violence and arson by protesters in Golaghat district in Assam. They clashed with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and demanded CRPF be moved out of the area. Soon, various organisations - social, political and student bodies - jumped on the bandwagon. Gradually, the protests shifted to other parts of the district.
The protesters tried to impose a road blockade on National Highway 39, the lifeline for Nagaland and Manipur. On August 19, the police had to lathi-charge and, subsequently, open fire to clear the highway. Though the firing did not result in any casualty, the next day, emotions ran high and protesters resorted to more violence. Armed with spears, arrows and stones, they attacked police personnel and stations and set ablaze police vehicles and trucks on the highway. Unable to control the mob, the police resorted to firing, killing three people. Soon, authorities clamped an indefinite curfew in the district.
Protests were also seen in other parts of the state, particularly Guwahati, Assam's capital.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi blamed the central forces posted in the disputed stretch for the flare-up. "The CRPF deployed in the disputed area belt has failed miserably in protecting the poor villagers of Assam. The situation, therefore, needs to be contained promptly, so that violence does not spread," he said.
He also hinted some security personnel, with vested interests, had fuelled the violence.
Since 2012, Gogoi has been facing dissidence from a section of his party. Last month, Himanta Biswa Sarma had resigned from the council of ministers, after the party high command didn't accede to his demand for a leadership change.
A few observers didn't rule out the involvement of "third forces" in the crisis. "Now, the protests aren't along the border, where the killings took place on August 12 and 13. They are in far-off places such as Golaghat town, Rongajan and National Highway 37. Some within the government and the Congress party want an unstable Assam to defame Gogoi, also the home minister. So, there is every reason to suspect the involvement of third forces," said Kishor Goswami, political observer and academician.
Some media reports cited a Union home ministry report that hinted at a possible involvement of the dissident faction of the Congress, peasant organisation Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity, which had good ground support in Golaghat district, and the NSCN.
Gogoi appealed to individuals, organisations, political leaders and the media to exercise restraint and "join" the government's efforts to restore normalcy. "It is only through dialogue and understanding that we can resolve our problems amicably," he said.
On August 21, Gogoi met his Nagaland counterpart T R Zeliang in Guwahati, in the presence of Kiren Rijiju, Union minister of state for home. The governments of Assam and Nagaland mutually agreed to resolve the border row and set up a joint mechanism in this regard. It was decided two states would continue with efforts to resolve the issues - from the level of the chief secretary to that of the deputy commissioner.
Gogoi said the priority was to help those displaced return to their homes. "We have taken efforts to instil confidence among the affected people," he added.
The Assam-Nagaland border is divided into six sectors - A, B, C, D, E and F. The border along Golaghat district falls under sector B; parts of the border have been declared disputed. Central forces are in charge of maintaining law and order along the disputed stretch. A border dispute resolution commission, appointed under the direction of the Supreme Court, is considering ways to resolve the boundary dispute.
In the past, too, both states had witnessed border skirmishes in Golaghat and Sivasagar districts, though none had flared to this extent.
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