Shillong, Aug 21: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) wanted the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma not to be dictated by his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma in terms of resolving another six areas of difference in the border.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the HYC president Robertjune Kharjahrin said that the chief minister should ensure all villages inhabited by the Khasi-Pnar are brought back to Meghalaya in the second phase of border talks with Assam.
“We implore upon our Chief Minister and the government not to be a trailer of Assam’s Jeep and be dictated by what the Assam Chief Minister or his government is putting on the table but rather take a firm stand in order to ensure that all the villages inhabited by the Khasi-Pnar and territories falling under the Himas are brought back to Meghalaya so that this settlement is acceptable to all”, the HYC president said.
He said the HYC is not against the border settlement with Assam but the organisation is firm in the demand that any settlement or decision of demarcation of boundary should be done with the agreement of all concerned especially the Himas and the ADCs.
The HYC asked the state governments to take up all the remaining 6 sectors- Nongmynsaw (Langpih ) , Block 1, Block 2, Psiar & Khanduli , Deshdomria ( Raid Khadar Bongthai) , Baridua & Nongwah Mawtamur – and not to take up only one or two sectors leaving behind some sectors during the second phase of border talks.
Failure to take all the stakeholders on board before signing any documents during the second phase will not be tolerated”, he asserted.
Kharjahrin recalled that during the 1st phase of border talks, they have seen that the five agreed principles of historical facts , ethnicity , geographical contiguity , administative convenience & willingness of the people were not followed by Meghalaya and Assam governments while arriving at a decision.
Kharjahrin said too much importance was given on the will of the people residing in the affected areas who in fact are only the tenants and settlers of Hima Khasi and not even owners of the land of the Hima.
“We are not against the will of the people but how can the will of the tenants be taken instead of the real owners”, he added.
He said even the agreed principle of historical fact and documents were not even considered diring the process.
“What is most disturbing and amusing is the fact that even though Regional Committees were formed with an objective of providing a report to the government to come with a solution, it is found that the recommendation of the West Khasi Hills District Regional Committee was not accepted at all by the Chief Minister of our state,” the HYC president said.
He added that all decisions were taken in contravention of the Regional Committee recommendations.
According to the NGO leader, even before signing the MOU, the state government did not even consult main stakeholders like the Hima, Dorbar Shnong and the ADCs.
“This has hurt the sentiments of majority of stakeholders in this matter and this action of the government even led to the affected Dorbar Himas to approach the Supreme Court of India to seek justice and remedies, he said.
