Rambrai Jyrngam MDC Bajop Pyngrope has cautioned the government not to celebrate the success of the negotiations with Assam on the disputed border as more difficult areas have yet to be discussed.
The two states are on the cusp of a deal that would resolve their dispute in six areas. These six, out of a total of 12, were selected for the first phase of talks because they were judged to be less complicated.
However, Pyngrope warned that tougher negotiations are yet to come on the Langpih, Block 1 and Block 2 areas and Meghalaya should not get ahead of itself.
“We should not be too early to rejoice because Langpih and Blocks 1 and 2 are the major areas that we cannot lose to Assam,” the Congress MDC told Highland Post.
He feared that Assam did not put up too much of a fight over the first six areas because it plans on demanding the major share of land in Langpih and the other more difficult sticking points.
As a representative of a disputed border region, Pyngrope said that the people around Langpih are keen to belong to Meghalaya.
However, he noted that there are three villages in the vicinity that are populated largely by Nepalis – Makoibari, Lawbah and Harsha Nagar – and an all-party meeting should be held to take into confidence the Raid and Himas to ensure that these people are absorbed by Meghalaya get receive all the benefits due to them according to their fundamental rights.
“We have to be ready to sacrifice something otherwise the boundary talks will not be resolved ever and the disorder will just prolong,” he added.
