The Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE) has become the latest civil society group to weigh in on the border dispute resolution deal between Meghalaya and Assam.
In a press release today, the ADE said it has learnt that several villages belonging to Meghalaya will be handed over to Assam under the terms of the agreement without the stakeholders being intimated of this.
Border villages like Malchapara and Salbari under Nongland Sirdarship in West Khasi Hills, which have ethnic and historic links to Meghalaya are going to now fall under Assam.
The ADE said that while it appreciates the efforts of both governments in trying to resolve the decades-long dispute, decisions taken “behind the curtain” are unacceptable.
“The Meghalaya authorities must acknowledge the fact that any negotiation should not be kept hidden from the stakeholders,” the ADE said, especially the villagers concerned.
The people of these villagers are 100 percent Meghalayan as they have voter ID cards of Meghalaya, get their electricity from Meghalaya and study under the MBOSE curriculum and work for the state government, the pressure group added.
“Can this all be undone simply at the stroke of a pen?” the ADE asked, while calling for the border deal to be made public (something the Meghalaya government has been obstinate in opposing). “This issue can’t be addressed from the comfort of the Secretariat…”
