SHILLONG: The president of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Lambokstarwell Marngar, has called for talks between Meghalaya and Assam at the chief ministers’ level to resolve the long-pending border dispute.
“It is up to the government to devise a long-term or a short-term solution. For a short-term solution, the state government should strengthen its forces in border areas. For long term, the state government should be prepared with proper documents,” Marngar said on Wednesday.
The union members organised a sit-in demonstration on Wednesday against the killing of a resident of Block II in the Ri Bhoi border area.
Blaming both the states for not taking steps to resolve the dispute, the KSU chief reminded the authorities that four Khasi residents died at Langpih in 2010 and “no concrete steps have been taken by the state government so far”.
According to Marngar, the state government should react and take pragmatic steps to deal with the matter.
Marngar maintained that the sit-in demonstration is just the beginning of a long drawn agitation over the harassment of border residents owing to the state government’s apathy.
KSU to meet Sonowal
Pointing at the police personnel gathered at the demonstration site, Marngar said, “When the government could send police forces here before we reached to ensure no chaos erupts, why doesn’t it send the police personnel to provide security to the areas in Block II?”
He criticised the state for not deploying police along the state borders and warned that if chaos erupts, the government should take responsibility. “On what basis did we get statehood when there is absence of proper demarcation of boundary,” he said, adding that KSU members did not gather to create trouble.
Agitated at the murder of Tyngshain Mukhim by a Nepali resident, Romesh Thapa, in Block II area the KSU president said the union will soon meet Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
“If the state government feels that it is short of manpower, then it should tell the residents to get ready with arms and go to Block II, Langpih to protect their boundary. How many deaths will we witness in the border areas? A blanket cover of police personnel can be seen when there was an agitation at Them Metor, why there is no policeman when the Khasi community faces harassment in Block I and II?” Marngar said.
Stating that they are weary of sending letters to the state government, the KSU president said the writing would be in blood and no longer in ink. “If our non-violent moves are not fruitful, we call upon the members to be ready to protect our community.”
India-Nepal Treaty
To a query, Marngar said the KSU has also informed the North East Students’ Organisation about the alleged harassment of Khasis by Nepalis and exempting Meghalaya from the purview of India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950.
Marngar asserted that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma should discuss about the treaty. “It is time for the state government to rethink the treaty,” he added.
