Pressure groups were invited for a sit-down with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today with regards to the in-progress border settlement between Meghalaya and Assam and left the meeting agreed on one thing – that they must adopt a wait and watch attitude to developments.
In keeping with its secretive posture, the government did not share the in principle agreement it has struck with Assam on the six areas of difference that are part of phase one of the negotiations in any form of document. Rather, the pressure group representatives were briefed verbally by the CM on the deal. Unlike the Assam government, Meghalaya has been highly cautious in sharing details of the agreement, perhaps afraid that doing so will bring out all manner of opposition and derail the process.
Sangma said that a copy of the report will only be shared after the government gets positive feedback on the deal from the Centre.
Today’s meeting saw the government share information about which villages, the size of land and local demographics about the areas in question and what the state’s thought process concerning the talks was like.
The pressure groups, for their part, were not willing to commit their support to the deal, expressing particular dissatisfaction at not being given a copy of it.
Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) president Lambokstar Marngar said that his pressure group will constitute a team to visit the six areas of difference, interact with the people living there and understand if they are happy with the recommendations made by the two state governments.
“It doesn’t mean we reject the report but it is a fact that nothing has been given in writing to us, which is difficult to accept,” Marngar said after the meeting.
Hynñiewtrep Youths Council (HYC) president Robertjune Kharjahrin said that it is impossible to agree to the border deal based on what the pressure groups were told today in case the actual report submitted to New Delhi is different.
Hynñiewtrep National Youth Federation (HNYF) general secretary, Sadon K Blah, was even more critical, saying that it was less of a consultation today and more of a hearing that lacked clarity.
“We are not sure if the government has fully heard the voice of the traditional leaders or the people living in the border areas before preparing its report. It was not a consultative meeting but it was just to give us a presentation on what the government has decided concerning the border issue,” he said.
