SHILLONG: The Hill Farmers’ Union (HFU) Central Body has officially lodged a complaint with the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) regarding the ongoing harassment, obstruction, and blockade faced by the farmers of Lapangap village in West Jaintia Hills.
The union stated that certain individuals from Assam have continuously disrupted the farming activities of the local residents, violating their fundamental human rights and severely impacting their livelihoods and the local economy.
Speaking to media persons, HFU General Secretary A. Kharsyntiew expressed immense surprise and concern over the “changing stances and inconsistent reasons given by the Karbi community during Peace Committee meetings.”
He clarified that the border issue has become highly complicated and can no longer be resolved at the district level. He noted that the neighboring village of Tapat is unable to make a definitive decision, effectively pushing the matter to the Border Areas Committee, which district authorities often tend to overlook due to a lack of understanding regarding its operational mechanisms.
Kharsyntiew stated clearly that unless the Chief Ministers of both Meghalaya and Assam personally intervene to meet and restrain the elements intent on creating unrest, the ongoing hardships will remain unresolved, continuing to threaten the peace and security of Lapangap.
Providing a timeline of recent events, the HFU leader shared that during the first Peace Talk held on May 5, 2026, the Karbi leaders requested the government and the Superintendent of Police (SP) to identify the individuals arrested in connection with the death of Orival Timung.
The SP agreed to provide a written report along with photographs, pointing out that the final decision rests with the court, which had already granted bail to the accused. Following this, the Karbi leaders requested a two-day window to inform their villagers, leading to an understanding that the people of Lapangap would be allowed to resume farming peacefully by May 8.
However, when the farmers of Lapangap went to their fields on May 8, they were blocked by the Assam Police and pelted with stones by Karbi miscreants, creating a renewed sense of fear among the villagers.
In response to this fresh tension, the district administration—including the SP, Deputy Commissioner (DC), and Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO)—convened another mutual understanding meeting on May 18, 2026, to restore peace.
Yet, during this meeting, the Karbi representatives reportedly completely changed their stance and shifted their demands. They dropped their previous grievances regarding the death investigation and instead raised a completely new issue, disputing restrictions on planting trees in the nearby forests and areas adjacent to Lapangap’s fields.
This sudden shift left everyone surprised, especially since the people of Lapangap had already clarified that they have no objection to the Karbi community planting crops in other vacant areas under joint supervision.
However, the understanding was that they should only plant agricultural crops, not broom grass, bamboo, or trees, which the farmers of Lapangap themselves are restricted from planting.
Kharsyntiew concluded by stating that the meeting did not involve any boundary disputes, as both sides continue to rely on the governments of Assam and Meghalaya to resolve the border issue, adding that no official resolution was signed during the latest meeting.
