Assam-Meghalaya border calm, but sporadic incidents may flare up: Conrad Sangma

Shillong, August 27: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the situation in the areas along the state's border with Assam is under control, but cautioned that sporadic incidents may persist because of long-standing disputes.

Describing the boundary tensions as "a complex issue with a deep-rooted history", Sangma, on Tuesday, said when occasional confrontations occur, the government, with public support, has managed to ease these "to some extent".

"The governments of both states have taken steps to resolve these disputes through dialogue. In 2022, Assam and Meghalaya signed MoUs to demarcate six of the disputed areas, a significant step towards peace," Sangma told the press.

He said installation of boundary pillars in places such as Hahim was part of implementing these agreements.

Regional committees have been formed to address the remaining six areas of difference, aimed at engaging local communities and identifying mutually acceptable solutions, he said.

"These committees will ensure dialogue continues and that disputes are addressed in a systematic and peaceful manner," the chief minister said.

Noting that the upcoming elections in Assam have created a temporary lull in tensions, Sangma said his government was working to build on this period of calm.

"The matter is complicated, and we want to engage with people at the right pace and in the right manner. Our aim is to ensure long-lasting peace and allow people in these areas to live without fear," he added.

The Meghalaya Chief Minister's comments come on the heels of simmering tensions in several disputed areas along the interstate border, particularly in Boko’s Tarabari.

The Nam-Tarabari and Upper Tarabari regions, though geographically within Assam, have long been claimed by certain groups from Meghalaya.

On August 10, following reports of escalating unrest in the area, officials from both Assam and Meghalaya conducted a joint survey.

Speaking to reporters during the inspection, Kamrup District Commissioner Deba Kumar Mishra said that, in addition to surveying the disputed areas, the team interacted extensively with residents and noted their grievances.

Three days earlier on August 7, Shillong MP Ricky Syngkon had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “pause the erection of border pillars” demarcating the boundary between Meghalaya and Assam under an agreement signed to resolve the border dispute.

The dispute between Assam and Meghalaya dates back to the Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 and involve 12 contested stretches along the 884.9-km boundary between the two states.

While six dispute areas were resolved under the 2022 MoU between the two states, the remaining six are being addressed in the second phase.

With inputs from PTI