PRESS RELEASE
The All Rengma Welfare Organisation (ARWO) extends its heartfelt appreciation to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, for the decisive action undertaken by the Assam Government in carrying out the eviction of illegal settlers in the Rengma Reserve Forest under Uriamghat, Golaghat District. This action marks a significant step toward restoring justice, law and order, and long-standing indigenous rights in the region.
The Rengma Reserve Forest, which has witnessed widespread encroachment in recent decades, is not merely an ecological asset—it holds profound ancestral, historical, and cultural significance for the Rengma Naga tribe, one of the oldest indigenous communities in the region. 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, embedded in their identity and cultural continuity.
The undivided Rengma contiguous homeland encompasses the Rengma Reserve Forest, Rengma River Valley, Rengma Tea Estate, Nambor Reserve Forest, Gholapani, Haldibari, Lisa Goan, Rengma Pathar, Uriamghat, Sarupathar, Naojan, and Naokhuti areas (now under Golaghat district); Nambor Reserve Forest, Kaliani Reserve Forest, Dhansari Reserve Forest, Doldali Reserve Forest, Diphu River Valley, Jamuna River Valley (now under Karbi Anglong); and parts of Nagaland including the Tseminyu district.
We applaud Chief Minister Sarma’s political will and administrative clarity in upholding the rights of indigenous people while simultaneously addressing illegal migration—an issue that has deeply impacted the socio-political fabric of Assam, Nagaland, and other Northeastern states.
We also extend our gratitude to the various CSOs, youth organisations, NPGs, and the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Dr. Neiphiu Rio, for taking proactive steps to protect the inter-state border and indigenous lands.
The ARWO calls upon the Government of Assam to continue such lawful and rightful actions, ensure the protection of the Rengma Reserve Forest, and initiate steps for the recognition and restoration of the traditional rights of the Rengma Nagas over their ancestral lands. We also urge that permanent measures be taken to prevent future encroachments.
Sd/-
(AKHU KATH)
President
All Rengma Welfare Organisation
Assam–Nagaland
Sd/-
(TEGIBU TEP)
General Secretary
All Rengma Welfare Organisation
Assam–Nagaland
Contact: 9436431024
Date: August 1, 2025
