SHILLONG: The recent abduction of the two MeECL engineers by GNLA has raised widespread concern among the local NGOs who have decided to hit the streets by organizing a ‘Peace March’ on Thursday.
Informing this, FKJGP working president Joe Marwein said that the other NGOs and people of Shillong are also invited to join the protest march which will start from Madan Student, Jaiaw and will culminate at Main Secretariat at 12 noon here.
“This march will be organized as a mark of appeal to the GNLA to release the two MeECL engineers on humanitarian grounds and with deep concern for the families of the abducted individuals”, Marwein said.
Joining hands in this march, newly elected KSU president, Daniel Khyriem said with due invitation, the union will definitely join the protest march alongside FKJGP to expressed their concern on behalf of the family members of the abducted engineers.
Meanwhile, the MeECL Engineers’ Association and Association of Power Engineers appealed the GNLA for the immediate, unconditional and safe release of A Pohthmi and B Majaw on humanitarian grounds.
The former KSU member Hamlet Dohling has expressed concern and disappointment over the recent abduction stating that all these years, the Khasis and the Garos have been living in peace and harmony and feared that if such incidents continue, differences will arise among the two communities.
Similarly, the members of the St Blaise Choir Upper Shillong Parish have expressed shock and anguish at the abduction of its active member Bonifast Majaw by the suspected GNLA activists. In the prayer meeting held at the resident of Majaw at Upper Shillong, the members prayed for the early release of Bonifast Majaw and Apus Pohthmi.
The Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) while appealing for the same has echoed similar views regarding the abduction of the two engineers saying that people of the two communities have been living together for centuries now and such move on the part of the abductors could hamper the peace and unity of the indigenous communities of the state.
Meanwhile, the Hynniewtrep Welfare Association, Tura will organise a Peace March on Tuesday at 11 am in protest against the abduction.
The proposed march will start at 11 a.m from Chandmary Play Ground and will pass through Ringrey, Hawakhana,Tura Bazaar and then culminate at DC office Tura.
Our Jowai correspondent adds: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) Jaintia Hills District Unit has demanded immediate release of two abducted MeECL engineers.
The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) kidnapped the two Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) engineers from Rongkhon, 6 kms from Tura, and said the reason for it was because the power company had failed to provide electricity to rural areas of Garo Hills due to negligence of their top officers.
The KSU- JHDU has strongly condemned the steps taken up by the GNLA as it would only create communalism between Khasi-Jaintia and Garos.
“The claim of the GNLA that the two engineers were kidnapped due to MeECL’s non performance is nothing but an excuses”, the KSU Organising Secretary, Nangaibor Syiem Sutnga said“We doubt the kidnapping is due to MeECL’s non performance, we believed the reason behind it is ramsom”, Sutnga added.