At least 47 Garo residents of Upper Tarabari village located on the West Khasi Hills border with Assam who were chased out by their fellow villagers for wanting to stay with Assam even though it will fall in Meghalaya once the border agreement is implemented, will be rehabilitated peacefully in their native village from today.
Kamrup deputy commissioner Kailash Karthik N said that a peace committee was formed at Upper Tarabari at the initiative of Assam Police and the Meghalaya administration after a joint visit to the village yesterday.
“The peace committee will take the initiative to rehabilitate the people to their village peacefully. They will also monitor the situation so that no such incident can occur in future,” said Diwas Bordoloi, circle officer, Boko Revenue Circle.
The peace committee is headed by Luwin Marak as president, Rottal Sangma as secretary while other members are Marjan Sangma, Lingbat Marak, Barminton Sangma and Kraison Marak.
“This peace committee will handle all border issues in the Upper Tarabari area and they will be supervised by both Assam and Meghalaya administrations,” Bordoloi said.
A joint team of Assam and Meghalaya comprising police officials from Boko and Malangkona besides leaders of All Rabha Students Union (ARSU) and CRPF personnel arrived at Upper Tarabari and held a meeting with the villagers at the playground.
The meeting was also attended by people from Watre Rongchang, Balsrik and Walkam of Upper Tarabari area.
However, Meghalaya supporters demanded that Assam Police release three persons, who have been arrested for alleged extortion from Assam supporters.
In this regard, the Boko Police Station Officer-in-Charge Phanindra Nath said that arrangements will be made to release them as per the provision of law.
Meanwhile, Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) executive members Sumit Rabha, Panchami Rabha and Frylin R. Marak distributed clothes and other necessary commodities to the 47 people sheltered in the camp at Jarihat.
Jarihat ARSU secretary Barun Rabha urged the two states to settle the border issue as soon as possible otherwise such fratricidal clashes will continue in these areas.
A delegation of Garo National Council (GNC) visited Jarihat, where the villagers (have been taking shelter since July 11 night.
“There is no question of merger with Meghalaya. We are residents of Assam, we have been here since the time of our forefathers. We do not opt to stay with Meghalaya,” said Enindra U. Marak, president, GNC, Assam.
“We want to send them back to their village. If such things happen further, the entire Garo society will move to the place of occurrence to register our protest,” Marak said.
“We will also meet both the chief ministers and submit a memorandum to them in this regard,” Marak added.
