Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 20: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today informed that the border talks with Assam for resolving the remaining six areas of difference will take place in the first week or second week of October.

Replying to a zero-hour notice moved by VPP MLA from Nongkrem Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit in the Assembly, Sangma said the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was recently in Shillong for a function and held a closed-door discussion with him regarding the border issue.

“We had decided a few things in that meeting and we will formally take those decisions forward in the next official meeting to be held sometime in the first or second week of October,” he said.

Sangma said after the meeting that the chief ministers of the two states would also visit Khanduli and other areas to send the message of peace.

“I and the Assam chief minister intend to visit Khanduli and other areas and the exact locations, we are yet to finalise. We will have a meeting in that area to meet the concerned stakeholders and ensure we send a message of peace.”

He said that the meeting held in Shillong was very productive and both states are looking forward to implementing the important decisions taken in the upcoming meeting to be held in October.

Earlier, Basaiawmoit condemned the statement of the Karbi Students Association (KSA) that a Manipur-like situation may occur if they lose their land and said, “The statement made by the leader of KSA is sufficient enough to create disharmony in the border areas.”

He also wanted to know whether the state government has taken this matter with its counterpart in order to ensure the maintenance of harmony in the border area.

To this, the Chief Minister said while the regional committee meeting was still in progress on August 16, the Karbi Students Association (KSA) came to the venue and met the regional committee members after the meeting concluded.

Thereafter, the president of KSA appeared before the media and it was during the said briefing that the president stated that “a Manipur-like situation may occur if we lose our lands, warn KSA”.

He however said, “This matter was not entertained by the Assam Minister, Piyush Hazarika who rebuked the person stating that such a statement should not be made to aggravate the situation. The minister mentioned that the aim of the committee is to bring peace and harmony between the two communities and to find out the best possible solution to resolve the border issues.”

He informed that earlier on August 30, 2023, the Jaintia Students’ Movement and KSA held a meeting in Diphu, East Karbi Anglong District, Assam in which they discussed the parameters to bring peace and normalcy along the Assam-Meghalaya border.

During the meeting, the Students Committee for Peace Initiative was formed and the committee will work on how to bring back life to normal on the interstate border and ease the communal tension.

They had also decided that representatives of the two NGOs would visit the border villages along with village elders. Further, it was decided that a similar meeting will be convened in Jowai in the coming days.

The main purpose of the meeting is to find ways and means to end the turmoil in the border areas.

Stating that as of date, the situation in the area is under close watch, the chief minister assured that all efforts are being put into ensuring that law and order in the area will not be breached adding that the district police are on high alert and regular patrolling is being conducted in and around the area.

The police are also regularly meeting the village elders and the general public, appealing to them to maintain peace and tranquillity in the area.

He informed that sufficient force has been deployed in Khanduli, Lapngap, Saitsama Outpost and Nartiang police station to deal with the law and order situation in the area.

“Apart from these efforts, there is also constant communication and coordination with the counterparts of Assam to maintain law and order in the area and most importantly to ensure that normalcy in the area is not disrupted,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sangma informed the House that the government of the day is working tirelessly towards ensuring that peace and harmony prevail along the inter-state border, and the issue of border conflicts are resolved permanently.

He said one of the endeavours of the government of the day is the sanctioning of 7 border outposts which are the Rani-Jirang BOP in Ri Bhoi, Langpih BOP and Umwali BOP in West Khasi Hills, Mooriap BOP in East Jaintia Hills, Tihwieh BOP and Mukroh BOP in West Jaintia Hills.

The creation of these BOPs has greatly contributed towards the prevention of border conflicts and most importantly, has augmented the strength of police officials in the field.

Further, Sangma said that “the initiative of the government of the day to resolve the border disputes in six areas of difference during the first phase of border settlement and the ongoing second phase of border settlement between the two states, is a testament to the fact that the government of the day is committed to ensuring peace and tranquillity prevails in the border areas and that border disputes are resolved permanently”.