Thousands of residents from the disputed villages located long the Assam-Meghalaya border converged in Jowai, West Jaintia Hills district today to take part in a public rally to demand the re-transfer and re-unification of Block 1 and 2 with Meghalaya.
The public rally called by the Hynñiewtrep Border Dispute Redressal Forum began from Lad Kiang Nangbah Government College towards Iawmusiang to the District Library Auditorium in Mynthong, Jowai.
Before Meghalaya became a separate state, the government of undivided Assam split off Block 1 from then United Khasi and Jaintia Hills district and attached it to what is now Karbi Anglong despite the Khasi-Pnar people having rights to Laban Nangphyllut.
Leaders of Labang Nongphyllut Doloiship and Pangam-Raliang (that constitutes Block 1) are not happy with the split as they feel that it was carried out without the knowledge, consent, or consultation of the Khasi-Pnar people—original inhabitants and traditional custodians of the land.
Block 1 and 2 are part of the six areas with differences between Assam and Meghalaya that will be resolved during the second round of border talks.
Speakers at the rally urged the government to ensure security of the people in the border, who are under constant threat from Assam and lamented that the villages are deprived of water supply, health services, roads, etc.
Besides leaders of the forum, those who spoke were Acting Dolloi Elaka Nonphyllut, M.M. Thaiang, Dr Henry Lamin, Erwin K. Syiem Sutnga, Thomas Passah and others.
Villagers of Mukroh, Khanduli, Psiar, Mukoiram and leaders of various pressure groups also took part in the rally.
