8 NGOs announce decision to conduct massive checks on undocumented migrants across Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 24, 2024

A conglomeration of eight NGOs have unanimously decided to help the state government implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016 by conduct massive checking against illegal and undocumented migrants across Khasi, Jaintia and Garo regions of the state.

The decision was taken at a joint meeting of the eight pressure groups – Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF), Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Achik Youth Welfare Organization (AYWO) and Federation for Achik Freedom (FAF) – held at the FKJGP’s state office at Mawlai, Shillong on Wednesday.

After the meeting, KSU chief Lambokstarwell Marngar said, “We have unanimously decided to assist the government, which seems to be facing a huge shortage of manpower – for immediate implementation of the MRSSA, 2016. Therefore in the coming days, pressure groups will conduct massive checking against illegal and undocumented migrants across the state.”

“The state government has been playing with the influx issue and because of this, we will help the government to fully implement the MRSSA in letter and spirit by intensifying checking against illegal entry into the state,” he said.

Marngar reminded that the MRSSA was passed by the state government way back in 2016 and said, “The MRSSA was framed because the government had made it clear that the ILP is a subject of the central government but sadly the government is yet to implement this important legislation.”

He said that the recent claims made by chief minister Conrad K Sangma that the MRSSA is being implemented in the state was just a “media statement” because there is absolutely no signs of implementation on the ground.

“The CM had talked about the district task force (DTF) but representatives of the localities, who attended the meeting called by the deputy commissioner, had informed that the meeting was just a consultative to implement the MRSSA. When we sought to know the status of the MRSSA during our recent meeting, the CM told us the government is still examining and has tried to bring necessary amendments in 2020 but the same was subjected for scrutiny by the Centre. Also during the meeting, the CM said the matter is under examination whereas before the media, he claimed that the government has already implemented the MRSSA, we really don’t know which one is correct,” he said.

“We also remind the government of the resolution passed in the Assembly on December 19, 2019 urging the Centre to implement the inner line permit in Meghalaya. When the union home minister visited the state, not a single word was said about ILP, when we enquired from the state government, the reply was that the matter is still under examination. We really don’t understand where the government is trying to find a cure to this influx problem. Therefore, as NGOs, we are determined to intensify checks against illegal and undocumented migrants across the state,” he added.

In addition to this, HNYF president Sadon K Blah alleged that the government is regretting passing the MRSSA because it is affecting its “vote bank”.

Stating that the entry-exit points and district task forces (DTFs) are very important ingredients of the MRSSA, he said, “In regards to the entry-exit points, the government had convened a meeting with NGOs many times and explained about the impact assessment, land acquisition and said there should not be any problem as not much land is required. The government had assured that land acquisition has been done in Garo Hills and the process of land acquisition was going on this side (Khasi and Jaintia) and that the social impact assessment has been done but till today government has lied that the Covid checking point is an entry-exit point.

“If Conrad is saying that work permit is not required but in the entry-exit point, he is saying that people have to report to the entry-exit point to take permission to enter the state and to produce documents, means he is already challenging the MRSSA and existing law, which is the Inter-State Migrant Workers Act and this is totally unacceptable,” Blah said.

Also accusing the government of lying and fooling the leaders of the NGOs and people of the state, the HNYF president said, “The excuse given is that the government cannot implement the MRSSA as they are still amending the Act. Interestingly, not even one day they have implemented the MRSSA, 2016, they have come up with an amendment.”

“If the amendment is taking time, the government should first implement existing MRSSA, 2016, if it serious about regulating the unabated flow of influx into the state but that is not being done,” he said while adding “I agree that it seems the government do not have the necessary manpower to implement MRSSA. Therefore we are left with no option but to help the government to implement the MRSSA to check unabated influx into the state.”