Assam-Meghalaya Border Talks: CMs of both states to visit West Jaintia Hills and Karbi Anglong in June

The second phase of Assam-Meghalaya border talks kicked off today, May 24 at Guwahati’s state guest house in Koinadhara. The chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya have come to a consensus to jointly visit the tension area of West Jaintia Hills and Karbi Anglong in June as part of confidence building measures.

It needs mention here that there has been lot of unrest and tension in recent times between the Karbi and Jaintia communities along the West Jaintia Hills and Karbi Anglong border.

Assam Chief Minister Himanata Biswa Sarma stated to reporters following the first official CM-level meeting in Guwahati on the second phase of border talks to resolve the remaining six areas of disagreement: "From today the regional committees of both the states will start meeting, visiting the other state's sites or areas, where difference still exists." As a confidence-building measure, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya and I will visit Karbi Anglong and the Jaintia Hills area, where there are currently some unrest, in the last part of June.

"Individuals on the two sides will feel certainty and they will be guaranteed that both the states will determine the distinctions, resolve the question with a feeling of the long existing kinship between individuals of Meghalaya and Assam," he added.

He was confident to determine the issues and contrasts through the course of conversation and shared trust and certainty.

The Local Boards will present their reports by July end after which CM level audit meeting will be held.
Meghalaya Boss Priest Conrad K Sangma said this is the start of the cycle to track down answer for the leftover six areas of contrasts.

"We have requested that territorial councils do truth finding and begin a similar cycle as was finished for the main period of talks… We will talk with partners and we desire to get reports very soon, a few regions might take time and some will be quicker," he said.

He also said that the two chief ministers will go to West Jaintia Hills and Karbi Anglong, where there are tensions, to call for peace and reassure the people that a solution will be found through a process.

He added, "At the same time, we have asked the Survey of India to continue with their survey work of the first six area of differences and complete their surveys." "I am confident in the leadership of Chief Minister of Assam and Govt of India and we will find a way to resolve the matter with mutual trust and friendships”.

 

Also read : Second phase of Assam-Meghalaya border talks kicks off in Guwahati