We want ILP not Ego: CoMSO chairman

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 17, 2019

SHILLONG: “We want Inner Line Permit (ILP), we do not want ego,” president of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council, Roberjune Kharjahrin said on Tuesday while appealing to all anti-influx groups to unite against the onslaught that awaits the indigenous community.

Kharjahrin made the clarion call while addressing at a public meeting organized by the conglomeration of 12 pressure groups under the banner of the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations to condemn the state government’s failure to implement the ILP, at Motphran here.

This also came in the wake of the ongoing blame game among the pressure groups on the issue that is visible in the social media platforms.

Asserting the need to end such differences, Kharjahrin, also chairman of the CoMSO said pressure groups should come together and discuss to ensure the demand for ILP is achieved.

“If you want, you can always take the lead and we are willing to follow you but on condition that you will not change your stand on the ILP,” he said.

The offer was made in reference to the 13 NGOs including the Khasi Students’ Union which are demanding implementation of the comprehensive mechanisms to check influx and illegal immigration into the state.

The CoMSO has also announced a “democratic protest” on September 20 and maintained that there will no rest until the government is ready to implement the ILP to safeguard the interest of the indigenous people and stop the state from becoming the second Tripura in the North east region.

The decision was taken after the state government failed to introduce the proposed amendment of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016 in the just concluded Assembly’s autumn session.

It was also following the publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) final list by Assam which have excluded over 19 lakh persons.

“We have played the role of constructive social organizations by holding discussions and giving suggestions to the government on this regard. On September 4, we were assured that the proposed amendment will be presented in the Assembly but that suddenly changed the next day,” he said.

Kharjahrin said the stand of the confederation was to incorporate the spirit (provisions) of the ILP in the MRSSA, 2016 in order to give it more teeth.

The suggestions of CoMSO include bringing of legal provision which bars outsiders from entering the state without valid permission, penalize any person who enters or stays in the state without permission, and the permission should have validity of 179 days, and bar non-indigenous people to have land rights in the state.

The state government was also asked to implement the National Register of Citizens with 1971 as the cut-off year, and delete other tribes from the Schedule Tribe (ST) Order, 1950 to prevent people from other parts of the Northeast to buy and own land in Meghalaya.

“With the Assam’s NRC and the Centre’s move to implement the Citizen Amendment Bill, Meghalaya is yet to a law in place to protect its people from such danger,” he said.

Slamming the state government for its dual attitude on the infux issue, Kharjahrin said the Conrad K Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government on one hand is opposing the CAB but on the other hand is not taking steps to protect its people.

Stating that the CoMSO will intensify its agitations to mount pressure on the government to implement the ILP system, the HYC president said because ILP is the only strong mechanism which will ensure protection to the indigenous community, their identity, culture and land adding “We will go to any extent to ensure our demand is fulfilled.”

Earlier, Chairman of the Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC), Nikman ChM arak said that Garo Hills region is also greatly affected by the unregulated entry of outsiders.

“In 1972, there were only 6,000 outsiders and now their population has gone up to 2 lakh in Garo Hills. It is a concern for us. Because of unregulated entry of outsiders, indigenous Garo people may be reduced to minority in their own homeland,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources informed that the chief minister, Conrad K Sangma has invited the delegation of CoMSO to discuss on the issue at his official residence, tomorrow.