Shillong, June 04: The issue of unabated cross-border influx, particularly from Bangladesh through the porous western frontiers, poses a tangible and alarming threat to the socio-cultural identity, demographic composition, and indigenous rights of the A’chik people .
The absence of robust enforcement of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), a porous international boundary, and tax border management has resulted in demographic volatility that endangers the tribal fabric of our constitutional safeguards.
They request the immediate institutionalisation of an autonomous Regional Influx Monitoring Mechanism with biometric-based Surveillance ,inter-agency coordination, and village level vigilance to mitigate this existential threat.
Additionally, we call for a strong push by the state to reinforce border fencing, enhance border outposts, and ensure indeginous land protections under the Sixth Schedule.
Multiple ground-level reports, independent verifications, and admission from Civil Society and security agencies point toward a systematic and sustained influx of Bangladeshi nationals into Garo Hills, especially in border districts such as West Garo Hillsand South West Garo Hills.
Settlement s have emerged in areas like Phulbari, Rajabala, Mahendraganj, Sinnggimari and Chibinang, etc, where outsiders are suspected of crossing the porous Indo- Bangladesh border illegally and claiming domicile over tribal lands.
These settlers are often found with forged or suspicious documents issued from neighbouring Assam or obtained through fraudulent means. Some are allegedly enrolled in welfare schemes, like PMAY and Jal Jeevan Mission, sanctioned from Assam, raising serious concerns about cross-border and inter-state Policy exploitation. The abnormal increase in the application for Epic cards is of utmost concern in the areas like Phulbari and Rajabala, etc.
Such Influx not only violates national immigration laws, but directly undermines the special protections granted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).These illegal settlers are reported to have acquired land, participated in local economies, and in many cases, influenced electoral rolls- thereby threatening to displace the indigenous A’Chik population economically, socially and demographically.
The situation reflects a slow but dangerous form of demographic aggression, where tribal land rights, customary village governance, and local demographics are being diluted in violation of constitutional guarantees, court judgements, and the spirit of tribal autonomy.
ACHIK are also gravely concerned that some of the illegal immigrants may have links to anti-national, extremist, or human trafficking networks, thereby posing not just a demographic but also a national security threat. The porous border and lack of fencing in many stretches of the Indo-Bangladesh border, especially in South Garo Hills, has made the region a soft target for unmonitored infiltration, smuggling, and unlawful activity.
Despite night curfews and occasional raids, no permanent surveillance infrastructure exists across the vast and vulnerable stretches of the Garo Hills border, making the tribal populace feel increasingly insecure.
Although the Government of Meghalaya has implemented the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016, and proposed various entry-exit facilitation centres, their reach and effectiveness remain largely limited to Khasi-Jaintia Hills. The Garo Hills region continues to suffer from a lack of enforcement, weak coordination among district administrations, and a total absence of border vigil infrastructure.
The Umling Facilitation centre, which was meant to be a model for Influx control, now lies under-utilized, and no equivalent facility exists in the Western frontier of Meghalaya where the problem is most acute.
There is rising discontent, especially among the youth and landowners in border areas, who feel neglected and under threat. Local community organizations have repeatedly submitted complaints about illegal encroachments. If not addressed proactively, this could give rise to social unrest,violent resistance, and breakdown of law and order, undermining peaceful coexistence and tribal harmony.
In the interest of protecting the indigenous tribal identity, border security, constitutional safeguards, and state integrity, we humbly urge your Excellency to take the following actions with immediate effect. This was submitted by ACHIK to the Governor if Meghalaya .
