Shillong, Aug 22: Regional committees from Assam and Meghalaya are set to convene on August 26 as a prelude to their joint visit to the disputed Langpih region along the interstate border. The purpose of this meeting is to engage with the local populace and stakeholders in the region, taking steps toward resolving the long-standing border dispute between the two states.
Meghalaya’s Social Welfare Minister, Paul Lyngdoh, provided this information, emphasizing the importance of these committee meetings. He stated, “Both the committees will be meeting here this August 26 as we prepare to go to ground zero and meet the people in the area.”
In their previous meeting held in Guwahati, the regional committees of Assam and Meghalaya jointly decided to visit Langpih in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district. During this visit, they plan to engage with local representatives, stakeholders, and residents to gather insights and opinions before arriving at a final resolution for the interstate border dispute.
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Paul Lyngdoh leads one of the three regional committees representing Meghalaya in these deliberations.
The border dispute between Meghalaya and Assam has been a contentious issue for years, particularly in the Langpih area. Notably, in 2010, four individuals lost their lives in violent clashes in this region during the peak of the interstate dispute.
Lyngdoh further elaborated that the regional committee from Assam has shown receptiveness to the proposal that villages identified as trouble-free, and where residents express a preference to be part of Meghalaya, should be allowed to remain within Meghalaya’s territory.
In a positive step toward conflict resolution, both Meghalaya and Assam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Delhi in March of the previous year. The MoU aimed to formally address and resolve interstate disputes in six contentious areas between the two states. These areas of contention include Langpih in West Khasi Hills district and Mukroh in Block II of West Jaintia Hills, where six individuals lost their lives due to violence just last year.
The upcoming meetings and joint visits of regional committees mark significant progress in the resolution of the Assam-Meghalaya border dispute. It reflects a commitment to peaceful dialogue and a willingness to engage with local communities to find an amicable solution that respects the aspirations and preferences of the residents in these disputed regions. The outcome of these discussions will likely play a pivotal role in easing tensions and fostering greater cooperation between the two neighboring states.
