NONGPOH, April 7: The Byrnihat Community Hall on Wednesday became the launchpad for a movement by four frontal organisations to pressure the Central and state governments for implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.
The four organisations – Khasi Students’ Union, Ri-Bhoi Youth Federation, Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People and Hynniewtrep National Youth Front – began by garnering pro-ILP support from village leaders and traditional heads of Ri-Bhoi district.
The headmen of more than 50 Dorbar Shnongs from Byrnihat area and the traditional head of Raid Marwet attended the public meeting at the community hall to back the ILP demand for “protecting the indigenous people from unabated influx”.
“We adopted a resolution to support the demand for ILP in Meghalaya and to continue agitating for it until the government relents,” Ken Syiem, the traditional chief of Raid Marwet said.
KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar, RBYF president Bipul Thangkhiew, FKJGP president Wellbirth Rani, and their HNYF counterpart Sadon Blah represented their respective organisations in the meeting. They said similar meetings will be organised across the state, including the Garo Hills to make the movement for ILP stronger at the grassroots level.
The implementation of the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act, 2016, was also discussed at the meeting in Byrnihat.
