SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) CEM HS Shylla said the Council will urge the state government to move the Central government to urge the UN to ensure that indigenous community is protected.
“We need this protection from United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). As a minority community, we are a minority tribe and we need this,” he said at the Winter Session on Wednesday.
He replied to the motion raised by Grace Kharpuri in the need for settlement of boundaries survey for Indo-Bangladesh border fencing and settlement of inter-state boundaries.
He spoke about the potential threat from Bangladesh as the country will soon get submerged by invading sea that may force the country’s residents to seek refuge in Meghalaya.
Stating that 80 per cent of Bangladesh is prone to floods, he said, “On one hand, we need the immediate fencing of the Indo-Bangladesh border and on the other hand, because of the fencing, many of the land owners will lose their land.”
With regard to the fencing, Shylla said the District Council will write to the state government to consider protecting the interests of the land owners in the areas along Bangladesh border.