By Philip Marwein
The Rally held on 2nd last August at Soso Tham Auditorium organized by “Ka Sur u Paidbah ka Bri u Hynniewtrep” was largely attended by many from Khasi and Jaintia Hills. It was very impressive and in which many prominent activists who championed for solution of the protracted border tangle for bringing back the fertile large tracks of Meghalaya land which was forcefully taken away by the Government of Assam over a long period of time. All those who addressed the rally were furious that so much land under Block-I, Block – II, Khanduli, Psiar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Langpih and Borduar even other six Sectors that Meghalaya has signed the MoU with Assam on 29/3/2022 in New Delhi was full of defects and flaws. The rally has aroused the public attendants’ deep sense of sadness over the great land loss to Assam over the years. It was decided unanimously to file a case in the Apex Court of India claiming that they are certain that the Court will be in their favour as they are in possession of documentary proofs and Maps of the areas claimed by Assam. They have expressed serious doubts and hopelessness that the present Meghalaya dispensation will be able to resolve peacefully with the counterpart as the remaining six Sectors of difference viz Block- I, Block – II, Nongwah – Mawtamur, Desh Doomoreah, Borduar and Langpih are very tough to deal with the prolonged land issues. Ka Bri u Hynniewtrep which include the traditional institutions like the Himas, the Doloiships, Elakas, the Border inhabitants, and the stakeholders of Khasis and Pnars will resist if the settlement (MoU) is not right.
The hope for another MoU (settlement) in the nearest future is not going to take place because Assam is going to the polls very shortly and it will not care to talk of border settlement with Meghalaya. Meghalaya has no alternatives but to wait. The other possibility is whether Assam is again interested or not to engage with its counterpart in border talks especially if a different government comes to power in that state. Again on this issue as it is political, what will be the political equations in Meghalaya in near future to push this issue forward to get what our state wants? As for the near future there seems to be not much change in political dynamics until perhaps in 2028. Even if one ventures the hazardous guess, leadership may still come from the Western Sector of the state for obvious reasons as shown in the past and present. But coming back to the border solution between the two states, it is to the interest of Meghalaya that border talks should resume as soon as possibilities arise. If the dispensation from Meghalaya dilly dally, Assam will only be very happy because it can have opportunities to openly or surreptitiously use force to expand its territories as it has been doing it all along for many years. So, it is loud and clear what Meghalaya should do irrespective of which part of our state the leader (CM) will come. If the same CM comes back so be it and perhaps it is better as he already has the experience that what it will be required. However, let us hope against hope that he successfully completes what is left of the long pending anguish of the people of the state namely, the border final settlement with Assam.
