Shillong, September 23: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday said the Meghalaya government remains committed to resolving the long-standing interstate boundary dispute with Assam but cautioned that an issue persisting for 54 years cannot be settled overnight.
His statement came amid fresh tension along the interstate boundary following the Maikhuli incident. Sangma said border skirmishes have occurred periodically since Meghalaya attained statehood and were often triggered by tensions, misunderstandings and unresolved areas of difference. “These border skirmishes have been happening for the last 54 years since our statehood. It is not something that happened yesterday or the day before,” he told reporters.
The Chief Minister said the government regularly communicates and coordinates with its Assam counterpart at different levels to defuse tensions and restore normalcy in affected areas.
He said maintaining peace at the local level was the immediate priority, while a permanent settlement of the boundary dispute remained the only long-term solution. “In the long run, the best and only solution is to find a permanent resolution. But that is not something that happens easily because the issue has existed for 54 years,” Sangma said.
He added that the two states had made progress in resolving the dispute in some locations and would continue working towards settlements in the remaining areas of difference. “It is a difficult subject, which is why most governments could not resolve it in the last 54 years,” the Chief Minister said.
