NONGSTOIN: Residents of Aradonga village, the site for the designated camp of the ANVC-B in West Khasi Hills District, have expressed shock and anguish at the State Government decision to set up the camp at the Community Hall there.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Dula G Marak, Headman of Athiabari, said, “I was shocked when the news was delivered to me that the order for the ANVC-B designated camp has been passed by the government. The camp’s presence would pose a serious threat to our children who could be lured or forced by the ANVC-B cadres to join them. Also, the presence of the camp would greatly affect the business of the area and rampant extortion from the traders would take place.”
Marak labeled the ANVC-B as “nothing but a bunch of dacoits who in the garb of fighting for a Greater Garoland are extorting from their own people”.
Marak also added that in order to voice their opposition against the designated camp, a massive meeting is being organized at Aradonga on Saturday. Marak urged all the NGOs who are opposing the setting of the camp in West Khasi Hills to attend the meeting and to unitedly oppose the government move.
John Miller L Nonglait, president of a conglomerate of 24 villages under Aradonga area, also expressed shock at the government order and said that the people of the area were caught unawares by the order. He added that recently, West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Sylvester Kharlyngdoh, had visited Aradonga and had inspected several sites to choose a location. The people of the area had met the Deputy Commissioner and had expressed their opposition to the camp being set up there.
Nonglait alleged that the said camp was being forcibly established there by the government without the consent of the people.
The Community Hall where the designated camp is proposed to be set up is in one of the 24 villages which are under Nonglait’s charge.