By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Co-ordination Committee on International Border (CCIB) has taken exception to the pressure tactics on the part of the Border Security Force (BSF) over the erection of the border fence along the Indo-Bangladesh international border.
The CCIB comprising the Khasi Students’ Union, Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People and the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front has stated that the BSF had recently convened a meeting with the Rangbah Shnong, land owners and the villagers at Muktapur and Nongkhen, Jaintia Hills to convince them not to oppose the border fencing work.
“If the BSF comes up with a proposal to strengthen the security of the border villages we would not mind but we will not welcome them if their objective is to push for the border fencing,” CCIB spokesperson GH Kharshanlor told reporters here on Wednesday.
Stating that local villagers were opposed to the border fencing since most of them stand to lose arable land if the Government went ahead with the border fencing work 150 yards inside the ‘Zero Line’ as was being proposed, Kharshanlor said that the Government should first demarcate the international border before going ahead with the fencing work.
“Let the alignment be completed first then we’ll see what follows next,” Kharshanlor said, while reiterating their opposition to the interference of the BSF over this matter.
The CCIB also urged the village heads not to absorb any suggestions made by the BSF or the National Buildings Construction Company (NBCC),which has been entrusted the work of erecting the border fence.
