SHILLONG: The Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People (FKJGP) Upper Shillong circle on Friday shot off a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills to complaint about the threatening posters pasted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) along the outer boundary wall of the IAF premises.
In the letter, the president of Upper Shillong Circle, Kitboklang Nongphlang said that the IAF has pasted posters along the outer boundary wall of the IAF premises from Hynniew Mer (Upper Shillong) to Mawnianglah and Mawkhan which read Trespassers will be shot which is also written in Khasi as “Trespasser yn siat”.
He said that the residents of Upper Shillong harbor nothing against the IAF and maintained that there has been no trespassing into the IAF premises.
“While we understand that trespassing into any high security premises is a criminal offence, but this kind of threat of use of force by shooting has caused concern among local residents as none of them so far have any ill-will against the IAF or has there been any case of trespassing into the IAF premises since the Eastern Air Command (EAC) was shifted to the area since June 1963”, he said.
He went on to add that the people of the area are simple villagers who have no bad intention against anybody let alone the IAF.
Taking strong exception to the action of the IAF in coming out with the threatening message, Nongphlang said that any error of judgment on the part of the villagers will prove to be a bad one.
“As you are aware, people of the area would daily move outside the boundary wall for their day-to-day activities and any error of judgment by either the simple villagers or the armed IAF personnel could result in fatality given the threat already given in such IAF posters”, he said.
In connection with the threatening message of the IAF, the FKJGP has requested the DC to take up with the IAF so that such kind of unnecessary fear is removed and also to ensure that the age-old good relationship between the defence forces and civilians of the area is maintained and respected.