GUWAHATI: Dima Halam Daogah (DHD), a militant outfit, said on Thursday it was ready to "forgive and forget" and wanted the rival United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) to reciprocate the gesture to end the violence between Karbis and Dimasas in Karbi Anlong district in Assam.

At a press conference here, Dilip Dimasa, DHD chairman, said the outfit was ready for a dialogue with the UPDS and to issue a joint appeal to defuse tension and ensure the return of peace in the hill district. He appealed to the UPDS leaders to stop issuing "provocative statements", and reciprocate the DHD gesture.

"Our stand is very clear: the UPDS started the clash and they must end it. The Dimasas have only retaliated. If they stop, the Dimasas will also stop. Why can't they [UPDS] simply say `forgive and forget'? We were always ready for that and are still for it."

The UPDS, on the other hand, has said that peace would not return to Karbi Anlgong till the DHD camp at Dhansiri area was removed. In a memorandum to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday, it said: "As of now, for the purpose of restoring peace, it is necessary to square up the equations by removing the DHD camp from Karbi Anglong. The UPDS too will not have any camp in NC Hills."

Ethnic cleansing

Mr. Dhimasa refuted the rival outfit's allegation that the DHD was responsible for killing the Karbis. He said it could be the handiwork of a DHD faction, known as Black Widow or "third party," which was opposed to talks. He accused the UPDS of "engineering" the killing of three Dimasa youth on September 26 to launch "ethnic cleansing" of Dimasas from Karbi Anglong.

Rejecting the demand for shifting the DHD camp at Dhansiri, he said the camp existed even before the ceasefire agreement was signed between the outfit and the Centre in 2003. "The UPDS members used to hide in the camp before they entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Government."

In its memorandum, the UPDS had alleged that there was a "deliberate design" in setting up the camp.

The turf war between the two militant outfits has so far claimed 72 lives.

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