SHILLONG, Jan 15 � The pro-ILP NGOs today decided to suspend their agitation till the time they and the Meghalaya Government agree to implement a system in the State to fight influx.
The decision was taken in a meeting held at the State Secretariat here between the State Government and the NGOs, fighting for the implementation of the Inner Line permit (ILP) in Meghalaya to check influx.
Although the NGOs have not entirely given up on its demand for the ILP, which it states is a strong legislation to check influx, they, however, agreed to study the 52 existing laws on inlux which the State Government offered to the NGOs.
The copies of the law would be handed to each of the 13 NGOs and they in turn would study it individually as organisations and later together, before arriving at a decision to be conveyed to the Government.
The breakthrough was achieved after holding the meeting with leaders of the 13 NGOs and the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and senior State officials.
There has been a demand from the public that both the State Government and the NGOs scale down from their respective stand and come down to a common meeting ground.
�Today, we have ensured that we have a way forward towards addressing the contentious issue relating to influx and illegal immigration into the State,� Sangma said after the meeting, which he said �ended positively.�
He said that the copies of the laws would be handed to the NGOs soon and added that the objective was to study the laws and integrate these into the local conditions of the State to fight the influx.
The last meeting held on August 29 last year between the two sides failed with the NGOs sticking to its demand for the ILP and the Government to its stand of not being in favour of the �Colonial Act.�
�There has been an agreement to study the 52 existing laws on tackling influx and illegal immigrants. We have also decided to suspend all agitation during this period,� Khasi Students� Union (KSU) president Daniel Khyriem said after the meeting.
But he went on to add that the stand of the NGOs regarding ILP has not changed. Khyriem further said that it would also wait for the release of its members from custody so that they too can be part of future deliberations.
Several members of the NGOs are in judicial custody in cases related to murder, attempted murder, arson and others arrested during the four-month old agitation that began in August last year.
During this period, the Government has set up a Special Court to try the cases of arson against the NGOs after assessment was made on the damages incurred to the State due to such illegal activities. The first hearing was held last year and the second hearing is slated to be held next month.
