The Assam Rising, Duliajan, Aug 5: Against the backdrop of growing debates over identity, demographic shifts and regional stability in the Northeast, indigenous organisations are preparing to use this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples as a platform to articulate what they describe as the pressing concerns confronting the region’s tribal communities.
The United Tribal Coordination Front of Assam (UTCFA), in collaboration with the Indigenous Forum, Assam (IFA), will organise a day-long convention at Bokajan Jinbaba Higher Secondary School in Karbi Anglong on August 9, bringing together tribal leaders, academics, student bodies, social activists and political personalities from across Assam and the Northeast.
Organisers said the convention aims to move beyond ceremonial celebrations and initiate a wider conversation on indigenous identity, constitutional safeguards, cultural preservation, land rights and the socio-political challenges facing tribal communities.
The programme will begin with flag hoisting, a tribute to martyrs and a cultural procession before culminating in a public convention featuring keynote addresses by Dr Indrajit Bezbaruah, Mrinal Hazarika, Anup Chetia and Pramod Sagra. Several prominent public figures, including Akhil Gogoi, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Motiur Rahman, Jagadish Bhuyan, Monikangkan Barooah, and representatives of numerous indigenous organisations, are expected to attend.
The Assam event coincides with resolutions adopted by the North East Indigenous People’s Forum (NEIPF), the parent body of the Indigenous Forum, Assam, during its executive meeting held in Guwahati in July under the chairmanship of Anup Chetia. The meeting reviewed preparations for the Forum’s regional observance of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which will be hosted this year by its Nagaland chapter.
In a series of resolutions, the Forum expressed deep concern over the continuing unrest in Manipur, stating that lasting peace in the region cannot be achieved without rebuilding trust, dialogue and harmony among communities. It called for sustained efforts by all stakeholders to restore normalcy and prevent further social fragmentation.
The Forum also turned its attention to the long-standing inter-state boundary disputes in the Northeast, arguing that political negotiations alone cannot resolve the humanitarian consequences of such conflicts. It resolved to strengthen people-to-people engagement through cultural initiatives, including Foothill Drama Festivals, to foster dialogue, reduce tensions and promote coexistence among border communities.
The executive meeting further resolved to intensify outreach among indigenous communities across the Northeast with the objective of reinforcing unity, mutual respect and collective action at a time when, it said, indigenous societies face multiple social and political challenges.
One of the strongest resolutions adopted by the Forum related to what it described as the changing demographic profile of the Northeast. Expressing concern over the continued illegal influx of people from neighbouring countries, the NEIPF said the issue poses serious implications for the region’s indigenous identity, culture and traditional rights. The Forum resolved to formally urge both the Union and state governments to take what it termed “timely and effective measures” to safeguard the demographic and cultural interests of the indigenous peoples of the Northeast.
As indigenous organisations prepare to observe August 9, this year’s programme is expected to serve not only as a celebration of the region’s rich cultural diversity but also as a forum for articulating a common agenda on identity, peace, constitutional protections and the future of indigenous communities in a rapidly changing Northeast.
