TWO MEETING HELD IN ASSAM-MEGHALAYA BORDER AREA. Tura, July 26: Two meetings were held today in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district, bordering Assam’s Dhubri district, to understand the problems of traders and local people and to provide them adequate security following the recent rise in attacks and extortion by militants. In the meeting held at the inspection bungalow in Singhimari, which is adjacent to Hatsinghimari, headquarters of the South Salmara-Mancachar subdivision of Dhubri district, representatives of Mancachar Nagarik Suraksha Samiti met Dhubri and Garo hills civil and police officials. Manindra Deori, sub-divisional police officer, South Salmara-Mancachar, said the additional subdivisional officer (civil) of Dadenggre and circle officer of Phulbari in West Garo Hills were present. “The officials heard of the problems in the movement of traders in Garo hills. We proposed a broader meeting involving deputy commissioners of respective Garo hills districts with Dhubri deputy commissioner Kumud Chandra Kalita and superintendent of police Mridulananda Sarma,” Deori said. Zahangir Alom Mandal, adviser of the Mancachar Samiti, said a delegation had met Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and DGP Khagen Sarma yesterday and apprised them about the volatile situation in Garo hills. “Gogoi immediately called up his Meghalaya counterpart Mukul Sangma and requested him take steps to control the situation, while Sarma assured us of deployment of security forces within a week and a joint operation by forces of both states to flush out militants,” he said. Mancachar Congress legislator Javed Islam expressed resentment over the deteriorating law and order situation. “If the West Garo Hills administration had taken strong and prompt action against the militants, then the situation would have not come to such a pass,” he said. Islam said he would stage a sit-in in front of the sub-divisional (civil) office at Hatsinghimari and submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Rajnath Singh and the Assam chief minister seeking their direct intervention to stop abduction, extortion and killing of people and traders. In another meeting at Hallidayganj along the Assam-Meghalaya border, about 65km from Tura, police and civil officials of both states met the villagers of Hatsinghimari. The sub-divisional officer (civil) of Hatsinghimari, A.L. Gyani, Deori and Dadenggre sub-divisional officer (civil), Sibhu C. Sadhu, among others, attended the meeting. Sadhu told the villagers that the Meghalaya government was making all efforts to ensure peace and tranquillity in the region. The civil society groups from Assam have promised to cooperate with us, he added. The traders from Mancachar and adjoining areas told the Meghalaya official to ensure their safety and security. “Our traders are served demand notes, kidnapped and killed. They are the only bread winners of their families. Militancy has created fear in all people,” said Samar Paul, president of the Mancachar Nagarik Suraksha Mancha. “We seek an end to insurgency in Garo hills. The government and administration has to find ways to restore peace or things may go out of control,” said Abdul Asif, another activist from Mancachar. The other demands by the Mancha were adequate security at weekly markets in Garo hills and adequate compensation for those killed in insurgency-related violence. “Two persons were kidnapped on June 21. We have paid ransom but they are yet to be released. We request the administration to help their families,” said Bokhtiar Hussain, an advocate from Hatsinghimari. Sadhu said the compensation file has been sent for approval. On interim relief for the families of two abducted persons, Sadhu said he would take up the matter with the West Garo Hills deputy commissioner. The villagers also asked Meghalaya officials to convene a meeting at Tura or Hatsingimari to be attended by the deputy commissioners of West and South West Garo Hills along with representatives of NGOs from Dhubri and Garo hills.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 16:27:09 +0000
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