Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
Blood and bullets will be the last option when all else fails, the president of Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) Donboklang Dkhar said even as he maintained that the group is not against any community but is peeved at the state government’s apathy in solving the elusive border issue.
Addressing a gathering at the premises of U Soso Tham auditorium where HITO had called for observance of red flag day, Dkhar called upon the people of the state to maintain peace and tranquillity.
He recalled that some Mukroh residents were kidnapped and killed by Karbi militants in 2002 and justice is not yet there.
“We urge the people in Shillong to maintain peace as at the end of day, the people living in the border areas will be harassed,” Dkhar said.
In a message to Assam government that they should not be provoked, he said, “We are ready to fight against any people who want to destroy our state and our land, we are not against people of Assam or Meghalaya, we are not against any community but we are against the government of Meghalaya and government of Assam.”
The HITO also kept a box dubbed as a coffin titled, “Rest in peace democracy”. Dkhar said that people should not elect businessmen who allow coal trucks to ply on the road but the state needs legislators.
He observed that the state government should be criticised for lack of political will to solve issues of the public.
As the meeting drew to a close, Dkhar appealed to HITO members and the crowd to be peaceful and not create any ruckus.
HITO asked if any of the members of the public wished to speak, and North Eastern Hills University (NEHU) professor and head of the Economics Department, Sumarbin Umdor, came up to speak.
He urged the organizations to maintain peace, and while saying that our state is backward in all aspects, be it education or unemployment, he added, “I have three children. I see no future in our state. I feel that HITO and other organizations should help in nation building and not act in rage. It is no use to fight here (in Shillong) when the incident is out there (Mukroh), it will instead weaken us economically.”
A delegation of HITO met the Resident Commissioner of Assam House in Meghalaya to apprise him of the situation in the border.
Do not panic
Speaking to reporters, Dkhar said, “We the youth of Hynniewtrep will not disturb the peace unless we are provoked by the government or anti-social elements of the state. Our message to the business people in PB and the shop owners, is do not panic, stay humble as law-abiding citizens.”
He added that they will agitate if the governments of Meghalaya and Assam do not pay heed to their demands.