Meghalaya CM assures to get back three villages from Assam

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday pledged to discuss the demand with his Assam counterpart to ensure that the three villages, which belong to the Nongbak Aking and Hima Nonglang, return to Meghalaya.

A joint delegation of NGOs met Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in demanding that three villages belonging to the Nongbak Aking and Hima Nonglang be again included with the state of Meghalaya after they included in Assam after the MoU was signed on March 29.

The delegation submitted a joint memorandum to the Chief Minister, the NGOs have alleged that the MoU signed in the first phase of the border talk between Assam and Meghalaya has failed to consider the historical facts that the villages of Mallang Hahuapara (formerly Okgipu Chiring), Mallang Joypur and Mallang Salbari belong to the Nongbak Aking and the Hima Nonglang, and other villages like Maikuli, Iongkuli, Pillangkatta falls under Raid Market.

The joint delegation of NGOs is – the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE), Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), and others – during a meeting held at the Secretariat building, Shillong.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma after the meeting with the NGOs has given his assurance to talk with his Assam counterpart on the demand to ensure the three villages, which belong to the Nongbak Aking and Hima Nonglang, come back to Meghalaya.
 
CM Conrad also stated that there will be no question in reconsideration of the MoU signed between the two States of Meghalaya and Assam.

“However, as we move forward in the second phase of resolving the border issue, Meghalaya government will try to talk and discuss with Assam government and see how things can move forward…(as) these are few villages which are right at the border, hardly 10-15 meters away from the line proposed. So we will see how we move forward, there is nothing that I can commit right now but let the process continue,” he assured.

The delegation of NGOs were also shown the historical facts and the 2011 report and based on which the entire discussion had taken place during the meeting, informed CM Conrad.

“We showed them how the villages, mentioned by them, were already on the 2011 map shown in Assam.

Therefore, it was very difficult for us to change the map and report that had been submitted by the government of Meghalaya in 2011 and include those villages that they had mentioned. Hence, it was a huge challenge and we had to move forward with that report of 2011 and they have understood now,” said the CM.

“Of course, their concern is still there as they say the people’s will is there and the fact that the people desire to be in Meghalaya and they would like to see that at least these few areas that are there some kind of steps could be taken up to work out something in those areas. We can’t say anything right now but of course, the second phase has started and while discussion takes place, we will see how to move forward.”

“We have clarified all the details to them and they have understood the technical challenges that are there and they realized I presume how this entire process had moved forward and how we came to this conclusion,” he added.

The Chief Minister further assured that the government will try its best to address the concerns of the NGOs.
Later, the president of the FKJGP Garo Hills Zone Pritam Arengh Marak said the government had pointed out the technical problems of the matter.

“Nonetheless, we told the CM our demands that certain areas mentioned in our memorandum should be reconsidered, should be looked upon as before the MoU was signed with the Assam government, these lands belonged to Nongbak Aking and Hima Nonglang,” he said.

Pritam said that the three villages were never disputed lands and Assam too never claimed them as they were always part of Meghalaya.

“The CM assured us that he will look into the matter and see what can be done. However, we are pursuing our demands that these places should remain with Meghalaya,” he added.

When asked, Marak said the CM had maintained that they cannot review the MoU but they will try to rectify the “technical mistakes” which on paper, the three villages now fall under Assam.

He also warned, “If we feel that they (state government) are not trying enough from their end we might resume our different forms of agitations.”

Echoing similar views, the president of the FKGJP Central Body Dundee C Khongsit said that the delegation had also asked the Meghalaya government to take advantage of the second phase of border talks by approaching the Assam government and get back these tribal lands.

“It is not about reviewing the MoU but it is a discussion with the counterpart Assam but up till now our stand remains the same we are asking the government to find out the possibilities of how to get back all the areas,” he stated.