HANM stages protest against delay to resolve border dispute

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 20, 2019

SHILLONG: The Hynniewtrep Achik National Movement (HANM) on Wednesday staged a sit-in-demonstration to pressurize the state government to speed up resolving the long pending boundary dispute with neighbouring Assam.

Members of the HANM from across the state took part at the protest held at the parking lot near the Additional Secretariat here in the city.

Speaking to reporters, HANM President Lamphrang Kharbani recalled that the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had assured that resolving the border dispute issue will be the top priority of the National People’s Party (NPP).

“Now that the NPP is ruling in the state, we demand that immediate steps should be taken on this regard,” he said.

Asked, Kharbani informed that the state government has agreed to invite the HANM for discussion on the issue only after the February 27-district council polls.

“However, if the proposed talks with the government is not positive, we have decided to intensify our agitations because how many more lives the government want to lose due to this problem,” Kharbani said.

Asked, the HANM chief said the delay in resolving the issue has encouraged the Assam government to illegally encroach the lands belonging to the people of the state.

“This has also led to the state losing many villages including block I & II falling under the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills to Assam,” he said.

He said the government is also suggested to urge the different himas to provide land documents for staking claims over the lands located at the disputed border areas.

Referring to the recent clash incident between the Assam police and villagers at Umwali village near Langpih, Kharbani said the organisation is also proposing to go to Langpih in order to protect the people and their land from the atrocities and illegal encroachment by the Assam government.