The Indigenous Peoples of Mung-Dun-Chun-Kham, an organisation based in Assam, has issued a formal invitation for a critical dialogue session, for implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) 2007.
In a detailed letter dated November 16, 2025, the group announced it will host a discussion circle on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at the ‘Media Trust’ auditorium in Birubari, Guwahati. The primary aim is to openly discuss the “systematic denial” of constitutional and land rights to the indigenous communities of Northeast India.
The organisation, formed on October 2, 2021, stated that its members have consistently engaged with indigenous communities and participated in forums at regional, national, and international levels, including the UN Human Rights Council. Despite India’s written support for UNDRIP in the UN General Assembly, the group alleges a stark lack of political will to enact its provisions.
“Successive governments and vested interest groups have been following a ‘Divide and Rule’ policy among the indigenous tribes of the Northeast,” the letter states, claiming this has destroyed unity and led to inter-community conflicts, diverting attention from core issues of political, economic, and cultural rights.
The group has put forward a 26-point charter of demands. Key among them are full constitutional recognition for indigenous peoples of the Northeast, full-fledged autonomy for each indigenous community, and the complete implementation of UNDRIP-2007.
Other significant demands include using 1950 as the base year for detecting and deporting illegal foreigners through the Illegal Foreigners Expulsion Act, 80 percent reservation in legislative bodies and government jobs for indigenous people, and the re-introduction of the Inner Line Permit system across all Northeastern states via the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.
“We have been engaging with our people since our inception, but the government has taken no concrete steps. This discussion is crucial to find solutions and reclaim our rightful place and privileges, which we have been deprived of despite identifying as Indians,” Anup Arandhara, Secretary General of the organisation said.
The organisation has extended an invitation to stakeholders and the public to attend the session, seeking their “valuable suggestions” to make the event a success and forge a path forward for the region’s indigenous populations.
