SHILLONG, Aug 22: Hundreds of residents from the border villages of the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo Hills regions on Monday took part in a sit-in near the statue of U Kiang Nangbah outside Shillong Civil Hospital demanding a review of the March 29 border agreement.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by the Meghalaya and Assam governments for resolving six “less complicated” of the 12 disputed sectors along the 885 km boundary between the two states.
The sit-in was jointly organised by the Mallangkona Joint Action Committee, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), the Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE), the A’chik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO) and the Joint Action Committee on Border of Meghalaya (JACBoM).
With placards in their hands, the villagers shouted slogans condemning the decision of the NPP-led MDA government to give away parts of Meghalaya’s land to Assam, as part of the border pact.
The protest was held a day after Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma decided to go ahead with the second phase of the boundary talks by constituting the regional committees in the next 15 days.
The FKJGP’s Garo Hills president, Pritam Arengh said the state government went ahead with the signing of the MoU without taking into consideration the five mutually agreed principles, including historical facts, ethnicity and especially the willingness of the people.
“It is really sad that the state government did not abide by the agreed principles as many of the lands historically are part of Meghalaya. Through the MoU, it gave away the lands to Assam, which is against the wishes of the people,” he said.
Arengh said the protest in Shillong was organised to send a strong message that the people are not happy with the MoU. He also said a petition challenging the pact would be filed in the Supreme Court.
“We are consulting with Supreme Court lawyers for filing the petition,” he said, adding that there will be more agitations if the government does not heed the demands of the stakeholders.
In a joint memorandum submitted to Sangma on Monday, the FKJGP and ADE said the historical facts were not considered diligently in the MoU.
“It is a fact that the villages of Mallang-Hahuapara (formerly Okgipu Chiring), Mallang-Joypur and Mallang-Salbari belong to the Nongbak A’king and the Hima Nonglang. Other villages such as Maikhuli, Iongkhuli and Pillangkata fall under the Reid Marwet in Ri-Bhoi,” the two pressure groups said.
They said these villages were never in contention between Assam and Meghalaya. But they were gifted to Assam through the MoU, they added.
“As far ethnicity is concerned, the majority of these areas are inhabited by the Garos, Khasis and Jaintias who follow a matrilineal system, totally alien to the patriarchal and patrilineal system of Assam,” their petition read.
“The overwhelming majority of the residents of the border areas desired to stay in Meghalaya. We are ready for a trial to prove this particular statement and put our claims to test, and it only remains to be seen if your office has the intentions to carry out a proper impartial survey in this regard,” the two groups said.
They stated that the border residents of Meghalaya have been facing a lot of difficulties due to the MoU and they are not getting any help from the local authorities.
Addressing the protesters earlier, ADE president Dalseng Bira Ch Momin slammed the MDA government for adopting a “dictatorial attitude” by forcefully giving away tribal lands to Assam. FKJGP president Dundee C Khongsit echoed his views.
“We support the efforts of the two governments to resolve this long-pending issue. But the Meghalaya government should not rush into taking decisions that are against the interests of the state,” Khongsit said.
JACBoM chairman Erwin K. Sutnga demanded a review of the MoU and said the Meghalaya government cannot touch the land in the Sixth Schedule areas without the consent of the tribal people. The two state governments will be in trouble once they claim the land without any constitutional process, he warned.
Don’t repeat mistakes made in first phase: KHNAM
The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Monday welcomed the meeting between the chief ministers of Meghalaya and Assam to settle the dispute in the remaining six areas, but cautioned the state government against repeating the mistakes made in the first phase of the talks.
“We urge the government to ensure that all stakeholders, including landowners, are included in the regional committees,” KHNAM leader Thomas Passah said, adding that the notification issued by the then Assam government on November 5, 1957 and the report of the joint survey between Cachar & Mikir Hills and the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills district councils conducted from February 17-23, 1958, should be taken into consideration by the regional committees while resolving the dispute in Block-I.
Stating that the areas included in the second phase are sensitive, high profile and of great importance, Passah asked the government to respect the sentiments of the people, the geographical importance of the areas and the will of the landholders and residents.
“We urge the government to place the reports of the regional committees on the floor of the House through a special session before proceeding with any discussion with Assam,” he said.
