By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The Meghalaya government expressed concern over growing challenges in negotiations related to the sensitive Lapangap border dispute.
It alleged on Tuesday, May 19, that officials in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district have repeatedly withdrawn from earlier verbal understandings reached during discussions, making peace efforts more difficult.
Wailadmiki Shylla, Cabinet Minister and spokesperson of the MDA-II government, said that despite continuous talks between officials of both states, Meghalaya is facing uncertainty as decisions taken during meetings are reportedly being altered within a short span of time.
He further stated that officials, including Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police from both Meghalaya and Assam, are in regular contact, and discussions are continuing to avoid further escalation of tensions.
The minister’s comments came in the backdrop of fresh unrest in the Lapangap region, where stone-pelting incidents were reported soon after a recent peace meeting, along with complaints from villagers about lack of cooperation from the Assam side.
Referring to past developments, he said the dispute has been ongoing for several years. He recalled that during the previous harvesting season, local farmers were allegedly stopped from collecting their crops.
The Meghalaya government later intervened and raised the matter with Assam authorities, after which harvesting activities were eventually permitted.
Regarding the wider border settlement process, Shylla said the MDA government has already reached agreements on six of the 12 disputed areas with Assam.
He, however, noted that the remaining six locations continue to remain highly sensitive due to complicated ground realities and the strong emotional attachment of people living there.
According to him, discussions were temporarily slowed due to elections in Assam, but there is now optimism that talks will resume at a faster pace.
He reiterated that Meghalaya remains fully committed to resolving all pending border issues through dialogue and mutual agreement.
Tensions escalated in the Lapangap border area on Monday after a brief clash accompanied by stone-pelting between groups from both states, even though an earlier meeting had ended without reaching any conclusion.
Superintendent of Police of West Jaintia Hills, Jagpal Singh Dhanoa, said one person suffered minor injuries during the confrontation involving members of local organisations. He also confirmed that additional security forces have been deployed to maintain order in the region.
He explained that the meeting ended without results due to differences over agricultural and plantation-related activities in the disputed zone.
Local villagers from Meghalaya had suggested allowing joint seasonal farming in the hill areas by both sides until a final boundary settlement is achieved.
Representatives from Assam, however, did not agree with the proposal and instead supported plantation activities in the disputed land.
Meghalaya officials opposed this, stating that such plantations could lead to semi-permanent changes on the ground and might affect the future arbitration process of the Boundary Commission.