GUWAHATI: As the talks for the settlement of the boundary dispute between Assam and Meghalaya got underway under the second phase of settlement, Karbi and Jaintia student bodies constituted a Students Committee for Peace Initiative to settle the dispute at the people’s level.
Both student organizations, the Karbi Students’ Association (KSA) from Assam’s Karbi Anglong and the Jaintia Students’ Movement (JSM) from West Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, held a joint meeting at Taralangso in Diphu on Wednesday to find a solution to the border dispute at the people’s level.
The Students Committee for Peace Initiative will maintain a peaceful atmosphere in the bordering area between West Jaintia Hill district and West Karbi Anglong district.
The JSM delegation was led by President Leningstar Rymbai and General Secretary Roitre Dkhar, along with the President of the Western Region Committee of JSM, Ribok Biam, and Advisor F Suiam.
The JSM delegation was received by the leaders of the KSA at their central executive committee office, Rongthe-ang. The JSM delegation was accompanied by the KSA, Hamren Regional Committee to Diphu. From the KSA office, they were taken to Taralangso for the joint meeting.
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The meeting, which began at 4 pm, lasted for two hours.
Briefing media persons after the meeting, JSM President Rymbai said, “The Students Committee for Peace Initiative was formed to bring peace and normalcy in the prevailing tension in the border areas.”
“In the meeting, we decided to build up peace and normalcy in the prevailing tension in the inter-state border. The Students’ Committee for Peace Initiative will work to maintain peace in the border area so that both communities, Karbis and Jaintias, can live together without any insecurity feelings,” Rymbai said.
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Rymbai said the Committee will also make a joint visit to the border areas to build up mutual trust among the communities living there. The date of the joint visit will be announced later.
KSA President Mirjeng Kro said, “Both KSA and JSM will work together to sort out differences that are arising between both communities (Karbis and Jaintias) in the border area between West Jaintia Hills district and West Karbi Anglong.”
A joint statement will be issued to avoid any misunderstanding and jealousy between the people living in the border area.
KSA was represented by the President, Mirjeng Kro, and General Secretary, George Timung; Assistant General Secretaries, Raju Engti and Probin Engleng; Vice President, Budho Terang; and General Secretary, Hamren Regional Committee, Prasantoe Ingti, and other leaders.
This was the second round of meetings between the student organizations of the two communities.
On July 3, this year, leaders of the Karbi Students Association (KSA- Ramsing Bey) and the Jaintia Student Movement (JSM) decided to work jointly to restore peace and tranquillity among the residents of the border.
Both student groups appreciated the initiatives of the leaders of KSA and JSM for easing tension prevailing in the areas along the Assam-Meghalaya border and also expressed their opinions on maintaining peace along the inter-state areas.