Shillong: The villagers of Mukroh, a border village in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, have announced their decision to boycott the upcoming Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) elections scheduled for February 21.
This unprecedented move underscores their dissatisfaction with the inaction of the Meghalaya government regarding their grievances against Assam.
The decision was unanimously adopted during a meeting convened by the dorbar shnong of Mukroh Pyllun on January 9 at Musher-Mukroh.
A formal communication of their stance was conveyed to the Deputy Commissioner through a letter signed by village leaders, including waheh shnong Kitlang Maskut, chairman Chilangki Phawa, and secretary Precioustar Sten.
The village, located along the disputed Meghalaya-Assam border, has cited longstanding issues of suppression by Assam as the primary reason for the boycott.
The leaders accused Assam of engaging in illegal activities within Mukroh, such as constructing a forest beat house and forcefully building a road connecting Khlieh Sanaro to Umlaphiah, Mukroh.
The villagers also brought up the tragic clash of November 22, 2022, which resulted in the loss of five lives in Mukroh.
Despite the gravity of the incident, they claimed that justice remains elusive.
According to the leaders, the Meghalaya government’s inaction in addressing these issues has emboldened Assam’s encroachment, leaving Mukroh’s farmers and residents vulnerable and under constant threat.
The dorbar shnong has made it clear that their boycott is a form of protest, urging the Meghalaya government to take immediate steps to address their concerns.
They emphasised that only genuine dialogue and concrete actions from the state government can prompt them to reconsider their decision to abstain from the elections.
