By Shaining Star Lyngdoh Marshillong
The creation of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh from Assam has sparked several border issues. Assam has 8 districts bordering Meghalaya, 3 districts bordering Mizoram, 4 bordering Nagaland and 8 bordering districts with Arunachal Pradesh.
The longest-running border dispute in the North East is between Assam and Nagaland, which began soon after Nagaland became a state in 1963 followed by several major clashes between the two states along the border in 1968, 1979, 1985, 2007 and 2014. Mizoram and Assam had a relatively peaceful relationship except in 1994 and 2007. The major border row between the two was on July 26, 2021 which led to the intervention of the Union Government of India.
The territorial dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh started soon after the latter got statehood in 1987 when certain territories were transferred from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh.
Meghalaya’s border disputes with Assam emerged even before Meghalaya got statehood that is in 1971 when it challenged the Assam Reorganization Act of 1971 suggested by the Chandrachud Committee that recommended handing over of Blocks I and II (present day Karbi Anglong District) to Assam. Meghalaya claimed that Blocks I & 2 are part of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills district as notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act 1873 and as per the survey maps of 1872 and 1929. Meghalaya has at least 12 points of border disputes with Assam as per the recent talks between Himanta Biswa Sarma and Conrad Sangma.
Assam has resisted developmental work in the border villages of Meghalaya, ranging from road construction (November 7, 2019), erection of electric posts, construction of footpath under MGNREGA scheme, construction of schools, anganwadi centres and others. Some of the border related issues between Assam and Meghalaya include Assam police intruding into Mawsikar village and planning to erect boundary pillars near Kyrdum on August 1, this year but it was stopped by villagers. Assam claimed land at Solairtek area under West Garo Hills and implemented the MGNREGA scheme there as per the reports on August 1, 2021. Assam police stopped the erection of electric posts at Iongkhuli village installed by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) and manhandled a Member of District Council (MDC) Charles Marngar on July 26, 2021. Iongkhuli is under Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. Assam Police arrested two cowherds below 12 years of age, from Mawsikar village, West Khasi Hills District in July, 2021. Assam Police wanted to make a police outpost at Umwali village on February 20, 2020 which is still part of Meghalaya but villagers came out to protest and foiled the plan. Assam government stopped construction of a police outpost at Umru village, Ri Bhoi District on April 5, 2018. Assam police also stopped construction of sericulture project at Madan Umwang, Ri-Bhoi district on August 2, 2017.
On August, 2015 Assam Government took control of the land at Mallangkona and Mallang Siminaguri area belonging to West Khasi Hills District. People of Block-I comprising of Mowluber Skap, Shnong Thymmei, Mowjem, and Madan Nongkylla along with people from Tum Tum, Khatkasla and Psiar under West Jaiñtia Hills District live in fear each day because Assam police continually interfere with their lives. Langpih in West Khasi Hills is one of the major border disputes which started since 1974. In 2010 four citizens of Meghalaya had lost their lives when Assam police opened fire at Langpih, thereby prompting the two-state governments to take up talks.
To resolve the border disputes several dialogues between Meghalaya and Assam had been going on, however, nothing notable has been achieved so far. On July 23, 2021, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam and Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister had agreed to a proposal for a ‘give and take policy’ to amicably resolve the long pending border issue. The row between Assam and Meghalaya at Ïongkuli Village on July 26, which happened on the same day that triggered the violent border clash between Assam and Mizoram led to a point that called for a quick intervention from the Union Government of India. The Union Home Minister, Amit Shah after discussion with the Chief Ministers of North Eastern states suggested to solve the long pending border dispute between Assam and other Northeastern states by demarcating boundaries through satellite imaging. The Umiam-based North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC), a joint initiative of the Department of Space (DoS) and the North Eastern Council (NEC) was given the task for scientific interstate boundaries demarcation through satellite imaging and mapping.
Amit Shah mooted the idea of the scientific interstate boundaries demarcation through satellite mapping stating that it will amicably and permanently solve the border disputes in the Northeastern states as new boundaries would be drawn.
Areas of dispute between Assam and Meghalaya include Umru village in Block II under Ri-Bhoi district; Langpih, Umwali, Mawsikar, Mallang Siminaguri, Aradonga Tarabari, Gizang and Hahim under West Khasi Hills District, Block-I, Tum Tum, Khatkasla and Psiar under West Jaiñtia Hills District and Majhipara and Solairtek in West Garo Hills
To speed up resolving border issues the Government of Meghalaya has appointed three committees headed by a cabinet minister one for West Khasi Hills, one for Ri-Bhoi and one for Jaintia Hills. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had said that internal border issues should be solved in a peaceful manner and urged Northeastern states to cooperate with the Centre as the central government is keen to permanently resolve the internal border disputes.
The question arises as which method of solving the boundary disputes would be a safer bet. Is scientific interstate boundaries demarcation through satellite mapping as mooted by Amit shah or ‘give and take policy’ as agreed by Sarma and Sangma a better option? Will the opinion of the people residing in border areas be taken into consideration? Will the political parties, pressure groups or NGOs from both the states accept the new boundary delineation or will they stick with historical records and claims?
The questions might seem difficult to answer but one thing the Government of Meghalaya needs to be firm about is that before the state celebrates 50 years of statehood, the long pending boundary issues should be resolved. The Government needs to walk the extra mile. Political parties and pressure groups need to give full cooperation and people should be willing to solve the border disputes permanently and build up a friendly relationship among the Northeastern states.