Nongpoh, Sept 1: Four villages under Raid Nongtung have expressed their willingness to be a part of Meghalaya and not Assam. This comes after the initiation of second phase of talks between Assam and Meghalaya to resolve the remaining 6 areas of difference between the two states.
Assam and Meghalaya have disputes at 12 areas. Under the first phase of talks, both the states had signed an agreement at New Delhi on March 29, 2022, to resolve 6 areas of difference, mapping and survey for which is currently underway.
These four villages under Raid Nongtung in Ri Bhoi District include Malen village, Mawlen-2 village, Umshatri and Pantalu village and belong to the Khasi community residing in the interstate border of Meghalaya and Assam.
These four villages under the leadership of their headmen on Thursday met the leaders of Khasi Students’ Union, North Khasi Hills District (KSU-NKHD), and handed over the letter urging the KSU’s intervention to take up this matter with the Meghalaya government to include all the four villages in Meghalaya in the second phase of border settlement.
Speaking to the media persons, headmen of four villages – Linshon Mukhim, Browel Khymdeit, Phrian Khymdeit and Edrolin Saring – said that out of 18 villages which are still under dispute between Assam and Meghalaya under Block II, they also want these four villages to be under the jurisdiction of Meghalaya as all the residents are Khasis.
The headmen also said that when based on the historical facts, these four villages are still under Meghalaya and it also proves through their traditional identity and practices.
They further urged the intervention of KSU to take up their issue with the government and that the second phase of border settlement should ensure that the villages are not a part of Assam as all the residents have given their consent to be part of Meghalaya’s territory.
KSU President of North Khasi Hills District Unit, Ferdynald Kharkamni, said the Union will back the wish of these four villages to be a part of Meghalaya and they deserve to be a part of Meghalaya as the territory they are residing in is still in Meghalaya based on the historical facts.
He further stated that the KSU has sent a clear message to the Karbi Students’ Association not to interfere with these four villages and alleged that the latter has threatened to protest and want Khasi villages to be a part of Assam without listening to the voice of residents who want to be with Meghalaya.
