By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The ongoing border row with Assam and the plight of the Khasi language was among the issues taken up at the recent UN Council session held at Geneva (Switzerland), general secretary of the Meghalaya Peoples’ Human Rights Council (MPHRC) Dino DG Dympep informed here on Tuesday.
The decision of the State Government to allow the Centre to intervene into the interstate boundary conflict between Meghalaya and Assam by setting up a boundary commission was supported by the UN Rapporteur James Anaya, said Dympep.
Issues which affect the indigenous population fall within the ambit of the UN Rapporteur, informed Dympep who represented the MPHRC at the 20th UN Council session held at Geneva.
“Information on the human rights situation arising from the boundary dispute between Meghalaya and Assam was provided to James Anaya”, Dympep said adding that this issue was raised as a follow-up to the previous communication submitted by MPHRC to him about the killing at Langpih village in 2010.
Besides the Langpih issue, information on disputed areas like Block I and II areas in Karbi Anglong district of Assam was taken up with details of the condition of the people whereby more than 200 Khasi families were displaced from Lum Durbar in Asom on June 6, 2005.
“In July 2006, the National Human Rights Commission directed the Union Home Secretary to take immediate action to solve the border dispute following a complaint lodged by MPHRC”, Dympep said adding that till date, this direction has not been implemented.
The MPHRC general secretary had also apprised the UN Rapporteur on the PIL initiated by the MPHRC at the Guwahati High Court on the Langpih incident which is still pending.
Meanwhile, concerns over the fear of the Khasi Language being short-listed as an endangered language as done previously by the UNESCO was raised before the UNESCO chief Frank Proschan.
Dympep expressed concern that the State Government is yet to make any financial allotment to uplift and boost the Khasi language in the State.
Stating that the Khasi language is a ‘dying language’, Dympep apprised the UNESCO chief of the fact that till date, the language has not been included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
It may be mentioned that the Khasi Language had been short-listed as an ‘Endangered Language’ by the UNESCO recently but later the status was changed. There is still a fear that the language might once again be short-listed if no steps are taken to create awareness among the youth about their roots.
With literature being considered as a window to one’s culture and tradition, the Khasi tribe is faced with a challenge of incorporating more write-ups in the Khasi literature along with equal participation of the community as a whole.
Meanwhile, the MPHRC general secretary informed that during the session, a short background note was presented on the life and struggle of U Tirot Sing Syiem, U Who Kiang Nangbah and Pa Togan Sangma to the international expert and the member states of the UN.