Shillong, January 15: The thirteen pro Inner Line Permit (ILP) ngos have agreed to suspend their four-month old agitation following an agreement with the state government during the Wednesday meeting to examine the fifty two existing laws dealing with the issue of tackling influx into the state.
But the ngos said their stand on the implementation of the ILP still stand because Wednesday meeting is inconclusive.
Nonetheless the agreement of the ngos to suspend the agitation and study the existing laws dealing with influx is seen as major breakthrough after the series of agitations over the demand for implementation of the ILP in the state last year.
KSU president Daniel Khyriem told reporters after the two hours meeting, “We have agreed to study and examine the 52 existing laws, of which copies would be provided by the government to the all the groups, before we arrive at a decision on the issue.”
Khyriem also said the stand of the pro ILP ngos on the demand for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system still stand since today’s meeting is inconclusive.
Khyriem informed, “Since this is the first meeting after a gap of four-months, the different ngos will first hold separate meetings within their respective organizations and a meeting of all the 13 NGOs will follow to take a call on the issue.” He also said that the ngos will also wait till their members who were earlier arrested (most of them are CEC members) are release so that they too can participate in the process of deliberation.
Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) general secretary Sadon Blah said, “For implementing the Inner Line Permit, we need to have rules and provisions as Section 4 of the ILP provides scope for integrating and incorporation of more rules to the principle act,” adding “We will study the 52 existing laws and what is found effective and important will be taken and incorporate in the ILP.”
Federation of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) president Joe Marwein said that the reason behind the ngos agreement to examine the existing laws, does not mean that they are withdrawing their demand for implementation of the ILP.
Marwein informed that during the meeting the ngos have also sought more clarification from the government as to what are the reasons for the government’s inability to implement the ILP in the state of Meghalaya. The government, however, has asked for more time to reply to the on this question.
Marwein said, “We have expressed that we want that kind of ILP which will not hamper the growth and development, promotion of tourism and others in the state.”
On the arrested members, Khyriem informed that the ngos have place the matter before the government on the need to release their members and said they hope that the government will do all that is necessary to release them as the ngos have suspended its agitational programmes.
On being asked whether their agreement to study the existing laws means that the ngos have climb down on their demand for ILP, the ngos leaders refuted by saying, “We are still sticking to our demand for ILP.”
Speaking to reporters, Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma said the meeting was held in a conducive environment and ended with a positive note.
Sangma said, “Today’s meeting is to set the ball rolling and ensure that we have a way forward towards addressing the contentious issues relating to influx and illegal immigration into the state.”
Sangma also said the ngos have agreed to study the various laws that are already existed. He informed that the contention of the government is that it is going to look on how the existing laws can be integrate and also supplement them to arrive at a institutionalize mechanism to tackle the issue of influx and illegal immigration.”
Sangma informed that after concerned departments compiles the laws it will be made available to the ngos.
Sangma also asserted that Wednesday meeting is a clear message to the ngos that the state government has the political will to address the issue of influx. He said, “We will continue to engage with the ngos to find a way forward and come up with a mechanism to have an ultimate end result.”
After the meeting, the leaders of the ngos shouted slogans – “No ILP, No Rest” when leaving the secretariat. – By Our Reporter
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