Assam-Meghalaya Border Row: Gorkhas Opt To Stay With Assam

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKO: More than 10,000 Gorkha families living in the villages along Assam-Meghalaya border opted to stay with Assam as the second phase of Chief Minister-level talks between Himanta Biswa Sarma and Conrad Sangma is underway to settle the dispute in six areas of differences.

While welcoming the steps taken by both the Chief Ministers to resolve the five-decade-long border dispute between the two states, Assam Gorkha Sanmilan (AGS) on Saturday said the Gorkha people living in border areas of Lumpi in Kamrup district and Umlapher in West Karbi Anglong district will stay with Assam.

Lumpi is bordering Assam's Kamrup and Meghalaya's West Khasi hill district, while Block I and Block II of West Karbi Anglong border Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi and West Jaintia hills districts.

A delegation of AGM led by its president Krishna Bhujel and chief general secretary Lakshmi Sedai called on Assam Border Affairs Minister Atul Bora and submitted a memorandum in this regard on Friday night at Dispur secretariat.

"Since independence, our people have been living in these border villages. We have many grievances. But we are firm to stay with Assam. In no situation we want to be part of Meghalaya," AGS Kamrup district president Arjun Chetry said after the meeting with the minister.

"We have to face threats from some miscreants of Meghalaya. The miscreants also attacked us many times. But we will not leave this piece of land. We have been there and will be there. In no situation we will leave a single inch of land to Meghalaya," Chetry said.

"It is about 100 years back that our people started staying in Lumpi. Our people have been protecting the border from the aggression of neighbouring states. Only because of us they failed to encroach on our land," Chetry further said.

"Gorkhas have been living in Lumpi since the 19th century. Our forefathers had obtained grazing permits from the British. We have 600 families (3,000 populations) in Lumpi. But there is only a Khasi-dominated village - Moulan Village. This village is also almost under Meghalaya administration. But all other villages in Lower Lumpi and Upper Lumpi are dominated by Gorkha people," he said.

"In West Karbi Anglong also, we have more than 7,000 people in 12 villages along the border. Habang, Umpalher, Mausaladyang, Umwang, Umru-2, Umsarang, Phlang, Pabang, Kartik Gairi, 28th Mile, Sabire, Jatalang, Umat, Lang Er Dang- all these villages are dominated by Gorkha people," AGS Chief General Secretary Lakshmi Sedai said.

"The border between Assam and Meghalaya was settled in 1951 after the creation of United Mikir Hills District. We also demand of the Assam government to survey the border areas before deciding for the second phase of border settlement," he added.

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