Show restraint, UDP tells border residents

SHILLONG, May 14: The UDP has appealed for restraint from the border residents of Assam and Meghalaya at Khanduli and let both the state governments do their work to settle their differences.
“The frequency of harassment of Meghalaya’s border residents by people from Assam, the latest being the recent clashes at Khanduli, is a matter of concern,” the party said.
UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said it was unfortunate that incidents have been happening in the border areas.
“The state governments have now made efforts to resolve the boundary dispute,” he said, underscoring the importance of not encroaching into each other’s domain in the disputed areas.
“The residents have been living together for years, engaging in trade and transactions that are mutually beneficial,” he added.
Conflicts in the border areas will not help the communities, the governments, or the states, Mawthoh pointed out.
“The government should be more proactive and vigilant to offset border tension, and fanning it will only worsen the situation,” he said.
He also said the outlook today should be development-oriented and the focus on the welfare of the people with insurgency having come down.