M A I N   N E W S

Khasi rulers for people’s army
Tell Centre to strengthen Indo-B’desh border

Shillong, April 22
Traditional Khasi rulers have demanded that the Centre allow their “durbar” to raise a peoples’ army to assist the BSF in protecting the Indo-Bangla border in the Meghalaya sector.

Humiliated after the April 15 Pyrdiwah incident in which the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) stormed the village and killed 16 BSF personnel, besides rendering about 1,200 villagers homeless, the Khasi Syiem (king), Myntris (ministers) and Rongbahsnong (headman) have asked the Centre to resolve the boundary dispute by October, failing which the matter will be taken to the United Nations.

The Raid Mukertilla Durbar, province covering 100 or more villages, at a general meeting held yesterday at Umsyiem village, near Pyrdiwah in East Khasi Hills, felt that if permission was granted to raise a people’s army, it would guard the border villages and the country.

The meeting was attended by the Syiem of Mylliem Manik Syiem, besides the chiefs of border villages, Myntris of Khyrim, Khasi traditional institution spokesperson John F. Kharshing and others.

Expressing concern over the Centre’s lack of promptness in evicting the BDR from Pyrdiwah and the state government’s neglect of the victims, the Khasi king said such slackness was primarily responsible for forcing people to go underground.

“Do not make me join the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC),’’ he warned.

The “durbar” refused to accept the External Affairs Ministry’s version that only 6.5 km of the total 4000-km-long Indo-Bangla border remained disputed.

Warning that the Centre would be held responsible for any recurrence of the Pyrdiwah incident, it condemned the Centre for going soft on the neighbouring country that brutally killed 16 BSF men in violation of the existing international norms.

Mr Kharshing said that the local “durbar” should be taken as the third party in any discussion held between the two countries for solving the dispute.

He claimed that the demarcation pillars had not been correctly erected and that people in the border areas had documents to prove that the pillars should have actually been erected a further 25 km inside Bangladesh territory.

“People are keeping all papers in the hope that they will get back their land someday,’’ he said.

The meeting also urged the Centre to immediately strengthen border security and issue shoot-at-sight orders to avert such confrontations. UNI

NHRC urged to take note of B’desh killings

New Delhi, April 22
An organisation of Indian Christians today urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to take suo motu note and approach the International Court of Justice against the barbaric killing of 16 BSF personnel by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) in Meghalaya.

The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) requested NHRC to recommend action against the culprits of the Boraibar killings and try the BDR chief, Maj. Gen Fazlur Rehman, in the International Court of Justice for war crimes.

The national convener of GCIC, Sajan K. George, said: “The mutilated bodies and the signs of barbaric torture on BSF jawans bear testimony to the inhuman treatment and custodial death of our brethren.’’

The perpetrators of the inhuman act should be punished to ensure that such acts are not repeated in the future and human dignity is protected,” he demanded.

The GCIC also demanded adequate compensation for the families of the BSF personnel who were killed in Wednesday’s incident. UNI 

Coal trade with B’desh resumes

Shillong, April 22
Coal trade with Bangladesh resumed yesterday after Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), whose incursion into Pyrdiwah in Meghalaya and Mancachar in Assam left 16 BSF men dead, gave assurance of the safe return of drivers with their trucks, official sources said here today.

With the situation on the international border returning to normal and following the assurances given by BDR, 255 coal-laden trucks yesterday crossed over to Bangladesh through Dawki checkgate, the sources said.

As a result of the tension on the border a huge amount of foreign exchange and about Rs 15 lakh as royalty was lost, the sources added. PTI