SHILLONG, June 26: The KHADC members on Monday expressed concern over the mass migration of people from ethnic strife-torn Manipur to Shillong.
Moving a motion to discuss the law-and-order situation in the Khasi Hills vis-à-vis communal disturbance in neighbouring states and due to the porous border, senior MDC Bindo Mathew Lanong said many localities in Shillong are not facing any problem due to the reported mass migration of people from Manipur.
“I was happy to see that the previous Executive Committee (EC) had taken note of this problem by holding a meeting with the Rangbah Shnongs of the localities within Shillong,” he said during the summer session of the council.
According to him, a majority of the people who fled violence in Manipur have claimed that they are taking shelter in their relatives’ places.
Such cases were reported in the Madanrting area, he said.
“The tribals from Manipur are migrating not only to the northeastern states but also to countries like Thailand and Myanmar. Therefore, the council needs to alert the localities about this situation,” Lanong said.
He said the new EC should direct the localities and villages to ensure that the people from Manipur should go back once the situation in their state becomes normal. Echoing a similar concern, the leader of the opposition, Titosstarwell Chyne said many Rangbah Shnongs have issued a clear directive that the house owners should not let out their premises to people from outside. The directive followed a meeting convened by the council on the mass migration of people from Manipur.
“I was informed that many Rangbah Shnongs were threatened for issuing such directives. Many want to know under which provisions of the law are the Rangbah Shnongs preventing them from renting their places to people from outside,” he said.
He also said some MDCs have received reports that the people from Manipur are planning to buy land in Maikhuli and other border villages.
Chyne appealed to the new EC to take serious note of this matter. He also urged the state government to set up relief camps for the people who came or are coming from Manipur.
“The state government should keep records of how many of them have come and how many go back after normalcy is restored,” he said.
Nongthymmai MDC, Latiplang Kharkongor said he has received calls from many Dorbar Shnongs unsure of where to report the detection of people from Manipur taking shelter in Shillong.
He said they have approached the police who underlined difficulties in taking care of such people since there is no directive from the state government.
“We need to take this matter seriously since a large number of vehicles from Manipur are entering the state, especially in Madanrting. No one is tracking the movement of these people. I have been informed that even the infiltration check gates are not functioning,” Kharkongor said, adding that the state government has been indifferent to the issue.
He seconded Chyne on setting up relief camps for the people from Manipur.
In his reply, deputy chief executive member, PN Syiem said the new EC would direct various localities and villages to remain alert to the problem of exodus from Manipur.
He said the Syiems, Lyngdohs, and Wahadadars should ensure that they strictly abide by the directive of the council to keep tabs on people from Manipur entering the villages and areas falling under their jurisdictions.
He also advocated a piece of legislation similar to the inner-line permit for implementation in the localities and villages within the jurisdiction of the council.
“We will examine if any provision in line with ILP can be incorporated in any of the Act, Regulation and Rules of the Council,” Syiem said.
