From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH, March 23: The Confederation of Ri Bhoi People (CoRP), an organisation representing the people of Ri-Bhoi, has appealed to the state government to carefully review land documents before making a final decision in the second phase of the interstate boundary talks between Assam and Meghalaya.
According to the CoRP, its members on Thursday conducted an inspection at Nongwah Mawtamur under Jirang constituency, during which the locals claimed that the area falls under Hima Sohiong as per the land documents of 1967.
CoRP president Bandari Ryntathiang informed that the locals of Nongwah Mawtamur have made it clear that they want to be part of Meghalaya and not of Assam.
He said the locals fear that after the second phase of the border talks, they will be separated from Meghalaya.
Ryntathiang said the village elders of Nongwah Mawtarmur have not only been vehemently opposing Assam’s claims but also blaming the Meghalaya government and the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) for not taking serious measures to safeguard the land of Meghalaya and allowing Assam to intrude into the jurisdiction of Meghalaya.
The CoRP president has asked the government to take serious steps in verifying the land documents during the second phase of border settlement instead of just asking the residents to raise their hands, as was reportedly done in the first phase of border settlement.
He added that this method has caused uproar and anger among the border residents and resulted in several protests.
“The CoRP believes that the second phase of border settlement is crucial, and it is imperative that the government takes every possible measure to ensure that the border between Assam and Meghalaya is settled fairly and justly. CoRP has emphasised the importance of protecting the land rights of the people and preventing any injustice from taking place,” Ryntathiang said.
“The issue of the border settlement between Assam and Meghalaya has been a contentious issue for decades, with both sides claiming ownership of certain areas. The second phase of border settlement is expected to resolve some of these issues, and it is essential that the government takes into consideration the concerns of the local people while making any decisions,” he added.