SHILLONG: The Hynniewtrep Border Dispute Redressal Forum (HBDRF) has warned that participation in Assam elections by residents of disputed border areas could undermine ongoing efforts to resolve the long-standing boundary dispute in Block-I.
HBDRF Chairman Chandame Sungoh expressed concern over reports of individuals campaigning for Assam-based political parties within the disputed areas, terming the development a serious threat to the interests of the Khasi-Pnar community.
He alleged that certain individuals have been engaged by political parties from Assam—including the BJP, Congress, and NPP—to influence or pressure local residents into voting in the Assam Legislative Assembly elections.
According to Sungoh, the Assam government is using temporary development schemes to lure residents, with the alleged objective of strengthening its claim over land in Block-I. He further claimed that some residents are facing intimidation from individuals in Karbi Anglong to participate in the Assam polls.
Following a public meeting held on February 15, 2026, in Barato and a subsequent meeting of the Elaka Labang Nongphyllut Block-I on March 5, local residents have resolved to boycott the upcoming Assam Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.
This marks the third consecutive election boycott by the residents, who had earlier abstained from participating in Autonomous Council and Lok Sabha elections. Sungoh said the Non-Cooperation Movement against Karbi Anglong, Assam, which began in 2021, remains ongoing.
Urging people to remain steadfast, he cautioned against being swayed by development schemes introduced during election periods.
“Assam does not care about the people; they only want the land. In 2000, there were attempts to evict us by force. Having failed, they are now trying to influence us through such schemes,” Sungoh alleged.
He also pointed out that recent outreach visits by leaders from Karbi Anglong to Khasi-Pnar villages such as Lamara and Uriat were attempts to gain leverage in the ongoing boundary dispute.
The Forum further stated that since Independence, border residents have often been treated as political tools while the core boundary issue remains unresolved. It maintained that the decision to boycott Assam elections is a form of protest aimed at protecting ancestral land and asserting indigenous rights.
