SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Indigenous Youth Federation (MIYF), Ri-Bhoi, in its maiden Interim Executive Committee meeting held on January 23 at Nongpoh took a unanimous decision to support the stand of Nongsder village, not to give even an inch of their land to the State authorities to hand over to the defence establishment.
The MIYF has decided to extend full support to the residents of Nongsder; it stated that it is not the right way to acquire lands of the indigenous people forcefully as the Indian Constitution provides a special status to the land owned by the indigenous people.
The federation also lauded the High Court ruling that has compelled the Army authority to transfer their land for the interest of the people. They added that the State Government should consult the District Council as it is the guardian to the land and interests of the indigenous people especially in the scheduled areas in acquiring lands of the indigenous people.