Khasi villagers living in the dispute Block 1 area are continuing to face immense hardship due to the impasse with the Karbi community, the Hynñiewtrep Border Dispute Redressal Forum (HBDRF) said today.
Villagers are unable to go to market to sell their produce or visit hospitals for medical needs due to the blocking of roads in the Khanduli area, the HBDRF said, blaming Karbi villagers.
The blocking of roads is only towards the rest of Meghalaya, while the road is open towards Assam. However, Khasi villagers find that scant comfort as there is a language barrier when travelling to Assam and they face discrimination when trying to sell their produce there.
In a letter to Chief Secretary Donald P Wahlang, the HBDRF said that “the Karbi people burn their own huts or sheds then take videos and further circulate such videos and blame the Khasi villages with the intention to defame the Khasi communities living in Block 1.”
Although there have been meetings of police and civil administration from Assam and Meghalaya to try and resolve the issues, it has not solved the problem, the forum said.
