Free Com. Langtuk Phangcho from Kidnappers’ Clutches!
Free Com. Langtuk Phangcho from Kidnappers’ Clutches!
Since October 22 2006, a young and committed CPI(ML) leader Comrade Langtuk Phangcho of the N C Hills District of Assam has been in the clutches of the UPDS. The United People Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), a militant group active in the hill districts of Assam, is now in a ceasefire with the Indian Government. Despite this, they continue to enjoy a free reign to terrorise the people in Karbi Anglong and N C Hills, especially the CPI(ML) supporters and the rural poor. In the recently concluded polls to the Autonomous Council, too, they have as always assaulted more than 6000 voters, supporters and activists of CPI(ML). This role of theirs fits in well with the ruling Congress’ political needs, and therefore enjoys the backing of the ruling establishment. Since Comrade Langtuk was kidnapped, there has been total apathy on the part of the authorities who have made no serious move to secure his safe return.
Write to the President (presidentofindia@rb.nic.in) and Prime Minister (Fax: 91-11-23019545, 91-11-23016857) for urgent action. |
Comrade Langtuk Phangcho hails from the very remote and backward Borolokhindong village in N C Hills district. Son of Lt Joksai Phangcho and Smt Kare Ronghangpi, he is the eldest of four brothers and three sisters. He lives with his wife Dr. Lalita Ronghangpi, two young daughters and a young son adopted by him. He completed his MA in History from North Eastern Hills University (NEHU) at Shillong, Meghalaya in 1994 – the first person to get an MA degree among the Karbi people of the N C Hills district. In his college days, he became active with the students’ movement in Assam and was the founder President of KSA (Karbi Students Association) Shillong unit. He was a leading figure in the KSA movement for autonomous statehood. On completing his MA, he became the President of KSA N C Hills District Committee and also a member of the KSA Central Committee. Later he joined the CPI(ML) and was elected as Executive Member in the N C Hills Autonomous Council in the year 1996. Active in the nationality movement as well as in the movement of poor peasants and agrarian labourers, he is a standing member in the CPI(ML) Hills Party Committee (HPC) and also a member of the National Council of AIALA. Naturally Comrade Langtuk was seen as a political threat by the Congress, who instigated militant groups to eliminate him.
Martin Teron, an Executive member of N C Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) from the Congress, paid the UPDS (ceasefire group) to kidnap Comrade Langtuk in order to demoralize the communist movement in the region and deter other potential activists. On October 22, 2006 Comrade Langtuk was kidnapped at gunpoint by three armed men in army fatigues from a meeting in the village of Chirilangso, and taken into thick jungles. The kidnappers identified themselves as DHD(J) also called ‘Black widow’ and told the villagers that Comrade Langtuk would be released within eight days after a discussion with the UPDS. They said that they were ordered by the UPDS top leaders to kidnap him. Since then it is only local villagers and activists who have made efforts to dialogue with the UPDS to release him. Police and Government officials, despite having been repeatedly approached, have made no attempts. Despite assurances by authorities like the Governor of Assam, despite appeals to the Home Minister, Prime Minister and President of India, despite several mass protests, Comrade Langtuk is yet to be found and his kidnappers are yet to be punished. No steps have been taken to restrain the UPDS to a single camp, and its reign of terror as an agent of the ruling Government continues.
We appeal to our readers to intensify the campaign to demand that the UPA Government take urgent steps to secure the release of Comrade Langtuk Phangcho, to review the ground rules of ceasefire that the UPDS is blithely violating, and to enquire into the role of Congress leaders involved in Comrade Langtuk’s kidnap.