Authorities will deploy security forces to ensure farmers are able to continue farming without interference amid escalating tensions in the region along its border with Assam, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sinyaobalang Dhar on Wednesday told a delegation of farmers and activists from Labangab village, West Jaintia Hills.
Dhar said he had given assurances to a delegation from the village that organized a protest march to the state secretariat over alleged harassment by people from the Karbi side of Assam.
“We had a very productive meeting. I assured them that the government will do everything possible to protect our people and ensure that peace is maintained as usual,” Dhar told reporters after the meeting.
He said the issue discussed was about the livelihood and safety of villagers, not the inter-state border dispute. “Today’s discussion was not about the border issue. We discussed their livelihood in Labangab village. The border issue is an issue that needs to be taken up at the state level,” Dhar said.
According to him, villagers complained that farmers trying to start farming for this season were being obstructed and harassed. “Residents of Labangab village and some NGOs have met me over the issue. Over the past few days, incidents have occurred. It is the season when farmers start farming, but there have been disturbances from the Karbi side,” he said.
Dhar said the deployment of additional security personnel in the area would begin on Thursday.
“They came to seek intervention because some Karbi people were disturbing them, and we assured them that we will deploy full force from tomorrow onwards to ensure that agriculture continues without any disturbances,” he added.
The minister confirmed that deputy commissioners from the two neighboring regions have already held discussions and further talks are expected.
“Since Assam has formed a new government, our chief minister told me that he will take up the issue with the Assam chief minister,” he said, adding that Meghalaya was waiting for the appointment of the new head of the regional committee before resuming formal discussions on the boundary issue.
“Once this is done, we will decide and meet our counterparts at the appropriate time,” Dhar said.
He added: “There is already a presence there, but additional force is needed. Therefore, we are deploying more personnel to ensure the safety and security of people living along the border. We will deploy as needed.”
Speaking after the meeting, Labangab village assistant chief Samkheh Sitong said the delegation’s main demand was to protect farmers.
He warned that villagers would take further steps if safeguards were not implemented on the land. “As we mentioned in the meeting, if the government’s guarantees are not implemented, we will take further steps to ensure that our farmers are protected as they farm,” he added.
Sitong claimed that their crops and fields were repeatedly targeted during the night.
“We cultivate our lands and plow, but people from the Karbi side come at night to destroy our rice fields. This is the harassment we have been subjected to,” he said.
Sitong said villagers were “95 percent satisfied” with the government’s assurances but were seeking the deployment of larger forces, including personnel from the SF-10 force.
