Shillong, May 15: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), West Jaintia Hills unit, expressed concern on Monday regarding the lack of action taken by the state government regarding the clashes between the Karbi community of Assam and the Khasi-Pnar community of Meghalaya.
The KSU demanded that the state government resolve the crisis faced by the Khasi-Pnar community before proceeding with border talks with Assam.
Residents of Khanduli village in West Jaintia Hills and other nearby villages continue to face harassment along the Meghalaya-Assam border.
KSU West Jaintia Hills President Laitphar Syngkrem, speaking to the media, claimed that such incidents occurred when the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) illegally set up a toll gate at Khanduli village, which falls under the jurisdiction of Meghalaya.
Syngkrem stated that the presence of this illegal toll gate at Khanduli village, which was later removed by the residents, caused confusion among the Khasi-Pnar community of Meghalaya and the Karbi community of Assam.
He added that after the toll gate was uprooted, there was peace between both communities and states. However, recently, the Karbi community torched a few huts and prevented residents of Khanduli from accessing their farmland, which is under the jurisdiction of Meghalaya.
Syngkrem said, “After a few huts were torched and Khasi-Pnar people were prevented from accessing their farmlands, there were also fistfights between both communities, which led the Khanduli Dorbar Shnong to ban all forms of trade between the Khasi-Pnar and Karbi communities.”
He further stated that the union had met with the district administration of both states, but to date, the Khasi-Pnar community, especially the farmers, continue to be harassed by the Karbi community, as they are being prevented from accessing their farmlands.
“We urge the state government and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) to address this issue with the Assam government and the KAAC to ensure that our brothers and sisters from Khanduli village are not harassed in the future,” he added.
