Correspondent

ITANAGAR, Jun 14:Tensions along the Arunachal-Assam boundary disputes concerning the local residents of Hime Village in Lower Siang District and their Dirpai area counterparts was ‘diffused,’ thanks to the reasonable intervention by the executive members of the Galo Welfare Society (GWS) and the Mishing Autonomous Council (MAC) officials.

As per the verbal agreement arrived at on June 13, right along the spot of dispute, the MAC Chief Executive Councillor, Paramananda Chayengia has agreed to the proposal that the MAC funded road, which currently passes through the Wet Rice Cultivation (WRC) fields of the Hime Village residents be ‘diverted’ and be ‘stopped’ within the territorial jurisdiction of Assam Government.

“Our side (Assam residents) has agreed to divert the road away from the WRC fields. Now, if you (Hime residents) agree, we can continue to fund for construction of the road up to your village or you can continue the road construction by yourself to allay further tensions,” Said Chayengia.

In response, the Hime Village Headman (Gaon Bura), Mikkok Ngomle who was accompanied by his Gaon Bura colleague Rakkom Nake and other residents said, “As long as the MAC funded road does not infringe upon our WRC fields or our territorial jurisdiction, we have no problem.”

As for the continuation of the road construction within the Arunachal territorial jurisdiction, Ngomle said, “If at all it is felt necessary, we (Hime village residents) would continue its construction at our own initiative and expenses.”

The same was echoed by another local youth, Nichi Ngomle, who further reasoned, “had there been prior intimation by MAC officials or the concern contractors the dispute would have been amicably resolved.”  

Meanwhile, the GWS General Secretary, Dr. Minge Loyi and his team of GWS executive members during an interaction with the Hime residents at the village, stressed that any inter-state or inter-community disputes should be resolved amicably with mutual respect for each other’s needs and sentiments.  

Significantly, the tone for ‘harmonious solution’ of the day was set up in a meeting between the GWS and MAC earlier on the same day at the MAC Conference Hall within Subansiri Eco Camp at Dirpai.

  The meeting, which was convened in the backdrop of two ‘unsuccessful attempts’ at reconciliation by the locals themselves on June 7 and 8, all the attending members stressed on mutual respects of the ancestral traditional bonds shared between the Tani clans of the Arunachal and Assam (Mishing).

Both GWS combined with All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union or AAPSU (represented by its Secretary Debate & Symposium, Marli Kamki) and MAC combined with Mishing Bane Kebang (represented by its president Raju Medok) agreed that in the absence of concrete ruling from the Supreme Court in regards to the geographical demarcation to facilitate administrative territorial jurisdiction for the respective governments of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states, the communities  from both states residing along the inter-state boundary should take the initiative to educate its younger generation on the ancestral bonhomie and close cultural ties shared between Galos and Mishings long before the need for administrative jurisdiction separated the two communities.   

And to further any such awareness generation and also to arrive at an amicable solution in any future petty conflicts/disputes, especially along the inter-state boundary concerning Lower Siang region of Arunachal Pradesh, both side agreed to form a Galo-Mishing Coordination Committee by June 30 next at Likabali.

Apart from those already mentioned, the meeting was also attended by GWS president Dr. Mitum Boje, its women wing president Yabin Zirdo, public leaders Kenyom Dabi and Rekar Doye, and the Mishing Mimak Kebang President Sunil Pegu among others.

 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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