Protest over border row - Youth resumes fast-unto-death at hospital

Pynskhemlang Nongshlong, along with his companions, at Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills on Saturday. Picture by UB Photos

Shillong, July 15: The People’s Movement, a conglomerate of social organisations, pressure groups, civil society and public representatives, has declared to intensify its fight for an early settlement of the long-pending Meghalaya-Assam boundary row.

After organising a series of protests, including an office picketing on Friday, the conglomerate today announced that it would start reaching out to people through public meetings.

To start with, it will hold a public meeting on July 17 at Mawlasnai village in Ri Bhoi district located close to the Block II areas bordering Karbi Anglong district.

The conglomerate, under the leadership of UDP legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, has said it has received tremendous support from the people and leaders residing in the Block I and Block II areas.

On the other hand, the fast-unto-death to remonstrate against the delay to resolve the long-pending inter-state boundary dispute resumed yesterday afternoon in Nongstoin, the headquarters of West Khasi Hills district.

Pynskhemlang Nongshlong, 28, from Rambrai village along with four women — Piarnalin Nongphud and Phisila Nonglang of Nongma village, Bralinda Kharlyngdoh of Langpih, and Misfulness K. Sanglein of Iew Nongma — resumed the fast-unto-death at Nongstoin market. These villages fall under West Khasi Hills.

The five individuals had come from Langpih on Friday evening, following which Nongshlong declared that he would resume the fast-unto-death.

From June 30 till Thursday, the activists had staged the fast-unto-death at Langpih.

However, yesterday, Nongshlong was prohibited by the syiem (chief) of Hima Nongstoin Phylla Sing Syiem to hold the strike at the chosen location. After having been prohibited by the chief, Nongshlong, along with his companions, left the venue and went straight to the civil hospital to stage the strike.

Meghalaya State Planning Board co-chairman John F. Kharshiing has urged the Meghalaya government to notify the Meghalaya International and Inter-State Boundary Management Council, whose mandate would be to look into the international and inter-state boundary problems.

Dissatisfied with the delay in resolving the boundary problem, the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) had on Friday decided to pull out of the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government.