Shillong, March 10: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the state Government is keeping a watch on the issue of eviction of Garos from Bangladesh.
Replying to a Zero hour notice tabled by Congress legislator PT Sawkmie, Conrad said, “…Since the said developments are taking place in a neighbouring country, which is beyond our jurisdiction, we can only keep a close watch on the situation and ensure there are no disturbances in the Garo Hills region, due to the said issue.”
The Chief Minister further said, “…… as per news reports, the Bangladesh Government through its Forest Department claims all the forest area of Modhupur to be Government land and has an intention to create an Eco Park. At the same time, the Garo Indigenous people of Modhupur residing in the same forest land maintain that the place is their ancestral land which has been passed on through generations. ”
“The tribals residing in the forest have been protesting for well over two weeks ever since the authorities of Bangladesh Government began exerting pressure on them to vacate their lands” CM added.
Conrad also informed the house that the Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) in Solidarity with the indigenous Garo people of Modhupur district of Bangladesh demanded to revoke the eviction notice served to them by the Forest Department, Government of Bangladesh. “….on 9th February, 2021 from 01:00 PM to 2:00 PM, around 40 (forty) Members of the GSMC stageda peaceful dharna and displayed banners and placards in front of the Office Gate of the
Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills District, Tura,” he said adding, “In view of the same, the GSMC had also submitted an appeal to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya through the Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Tura.”
The Chief Minister also informed the house that this matter needs to be taken up diplomatically with Bangladesh, through the Government of India.
“……so far as the law and order impact of the news captioned above is concerned in Garo hills region; the protests held were peaceful and did not pose any serious challenge to the law and order situation,” he added.
