SHILLONG, Nov 24: A conglomeration of five pressure groups – KSU, FKJGP, HYNF, RBYF and JSU – has announced a non-cooperation movement (NCM) from Friday urging government employees to skip offices.
KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah on Thursday said that schools and colleges are exempted from the NCM in view of the ongoing examinations.
“We appeal all to support the non-cooperation movement to express their solidarity with the victims of the Mukroh firing incident,” Thabah said.
He also informed that the five pressure groups will be meeting again in the coming days to decide the future course of agitations if the state government fails to address the problems faced by the people residing along the interstate border with Assam.
Thabah questioned the temporary suspension of mobile internet/data services. “The mobile internet is an important source for the students who are appearing for the examination. The government denies students access to internet instead of getting hold of the people responsible for the death of five innocent people,” he said, while questioning whether suspension of mobile internet would help the citizens in their fight against the atrocities and harassment of the Assam government.
The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) will take out a procession from Madan Iewrynghep (Fire Brigade) to Assam House in Dhankheti at 3 pm on Saturday in protest against the indiscriminate firing by Assam police and forest guards at Mukroh on Tuesday. HITO said it will observe Saturday as “red flag day”. The “peaceful” procession will culminate with a candlelight vigil at Assam House.
Further, the organisation will announce a series of agitations the same day and burn effigies of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma.
MHRC seeks detailed report
The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the Mukroh firing incident based on the news items published in The Shillong Times dated 23rd November, 2022, and has given the state government a 15-day deadline to submit a detailed report into the incident.
Similarly, the Assam government has also constituted an inquiry commission, headed by Justice (retired) Rumi Kumari Phukan, to probe the circumstances leading to the firing along the interstate boundary at Mukroh.