TMPK blockade lifted against Arunachal

The Assam Tribune,11-11-2008


ITANAGAR, Nov 10 – Barely a week after the Pale village firing incident, the people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, in yet another instance of keeping their age-old pahar-bhaiyam samparka (hills-plains relationship) alive, splendidly solved the petty differences amongst them paving the way for lifting of economic blockade called by Takam Mising Porin Kébang (TMPK) against Arunachal, especially West Siang district.This breakthrough was achieved during a ‘peace talk’ held between the representatives of agitating TMPK and Galo Welfare Society – the apex body of Arunachal’s Galo community along with Galo Students’ Union, at Silapathar in Dhemaji district on Sunday. The economic blockade as well as bandh against Arunachal Pradesh was given by TMPK in protest against the reported firing incident of November 3 at the border village, Pale, near Likabali in West Siang district of Arunachal. The peace meeting, which was also attended by the MLA of Silapathar, Bhuban Pegu, unanimously agreed to make “serious attempts” to resolve all outstanding issues, including boundary dispute, through such peaceful negotiations and coordination meetings between both community members, said Tomo Basar, general secretary of Galo Welfare Society. He further said a fact-finding committee, comprising representatives from both sides, will be visiting the affected areas later today to make an assessment of the matter and will submit report to their respective district administrations. They will have also another joint visit to the areas later this month to restore the sense of peace and harmony amongst the villagers inhabiting along the inter-State boundary.