Shillong, Dec 3: In an effort to remove misunderstanding between the Karbis and the Khasis, two organisations representing both the communities in Meghalaya will meet tomorrow in a formal rendezvous.

The meeting between the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and the All Meghalaya Karbi Association (AMKA) will also be attended by members of the Hynniewtrep Peoples’ Federation (HPF) of the trouble-torn Block I and II areas of Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

The meeting assumes significance as a Karbi organisation will for the first time meet the influential KSU since the ethnic feud broke out in Block I and II.

The KSU, which had served a “quit notice” on the Karbis residing here, is yet to withdraw it.

The Khasi students’ body issued the notice after 4,000 odd Khasi-Pnars were forced to flee their homes in Block I and took refuge in Sahsniang village in Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya.

A KSU finance wing member Le Verson Lyngdoh was also arrested for allegedly being a party to the burning of a Karbi student of the Sacred Heart Theological Centre, Mawlai and beating up of three others.

However, the KSU had denied his involvement in the incidents.

KSU president Samuel Jyrwa today said the meeting would be crucial.

“We have agreed to meet the Karbi association so that the Khasi-Pnar residents of Blocks I and II are not subjected to harassment and cruelty,” he said.

He, however, refused a comment on the possibility of withdrawing the “quit notice”.

“Let’s wait and see what is brought up for discussion and only then can we decide whether or not to lift the quit notice,” a guarded Jyrwa said.

The rehabilitation process of the 4,000 displaced Khasi-Pnar refugees has run into rough weather with only 34 families agreeing to return to their villages in Block I.

The rest are refusing to go return home, sources in the Jaintia Hills district administration said.

The villagers have been taken aback by fresh threats from the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) militants to unleash terror on villages dominated by Khasi-Pnars.

Besides, the bandh call given by the UPDS on Wednesday has also made the refugees apprehensive of their safety in Karbi Anglong.

The Meghalaya government has constituted another special committee to speed up the process of rehabilitation of the Khasi-Pnar refugees. Revenue minister F.A. Khonglam will head the committee.

“We want to see that all the Khasi-Pnars who have been displaced are rehabilitated safely in their homes in Block I,” Khonglam said.

Officer on special duty B. Dhar will monitor the rehabilitation process. He has been asked to meet his counterpart from Karbi Anglong and ensure that the process of resettlement is smooth.