Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma calls for peace after clash near state's border with Assam

Imphal: A day after a person was killed in a clash between two groups near the Assam-Meghalaya border, NPP supremo and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday urged people not to resort to violence and called for peace in the interstate border areas.

Sangma, who is in Imphal for a two-day visit to Manipur, termed the incident as "unfortunate", and said the root cause of the problem is the "differences in terms of the border between Assam and Meghalaya".

One person was killed and several others reportedly injured on Thursday following a clash between two groups over paddy harvesting in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district along the border with Meghalaya.

A group of people from Meghalaya allegedly began harvesting, which was opposed by the villagers of Tapat under the Hamren police station limits, resulting in a scuffle, the Assam Police said.

Multiple altercations reportedly broke out between residents of Lapangap village in Meghalaya and Tapat in Assam, they said.

Sangma said, "The Lapangap area is a point of difference. We are in talks with Assam. We (Meghalaya) are maintaining our stand and Assam is maintaining its stand too. But we have discussed and are trying to resolve this issue. So, I don't want to comment on that part. It is a very unfortunate incident, and I appeal to people that we should not resort to violence. We should look at dialogue to resolve the problem." The Meghalaya chief minister also said that the authorities had witnessed in the past that farmers from both sides grow crops there.

"And during the harvesting season, there is a problem as farmers from one side stop the other. We try to resolve the issue at the local level by involving the stakeholders and forming a peace committee," he said.

Sangma said police forces from both sides were deployed there in view of paddy harvesting, and the security personnel appealed to the groups of people to maintain restraint.

"But a scuffle broke out between two groups, involving people from both sides. During that scuffle, one person lost his life," he said.

"We told our citizens to ensure peace as the two governments are trying to find a solution to the problem. We have resolved six areas of difference. There are 12 areas of difference. For the last 52 years, no government has taken this initiative. It is only in our time that we resolved six issues. Six more are left, and we are working on that," Sangma said.

The Meghalaya chief minister said that if the people cooperate and talk to each other over a problem, the authorities concerned will be able to resolve it.