The western zone unit of the Ri-Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) has asserted that only land documents should be considered when settling the disputed border between Meghalaya and Assam.
The call comes in the wake of concerns raised by the RBYF regarding the second phase of the border talks between the two states, with the pressure group hoping to avoid a repetition of the “errors” that occurred in Phase 1.
The first phase deal, signed last year, was unpopular in certain areas. The RBYF maintained that use of land documents alone would be fairer and strengthen Meghalaya’s hand rather than asking for a show of hands in border villages, where many residents are only recent arrivals and may choose to go with Assam.
Two regions under Western Ri-Bhoi require settlement during Phase 2 and the RBYF underscored that the resolution of the differences between the two states should be done meticulously, with decisions grounded in validated documents from Raids, Himas, villages and landowners.
“We are profoundly concerned that a significant portion of Meghalaya’s land within the disputed border area of Jirang constituency was ceded to Assam due to the reliance on local residents’ opinions, predominantly from communities outside the immediate border vicinity,” RBYF leaders said.
