Bring back Muktapur to India: Dorbar to CM

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 26, 2020

The village dorbar of Muktapur has sought the intervention of the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to bring back the adverse possession land (APL) of the village to India. 

“I humbly request you to look into the matter (Muktapur APL), to bring it back to India, because it directly relates to the life and death of our people,” village general secretary Benediction Buam said in a letter to Sangma on Tuesday.

He said the Muktapur APL belonged to India and Muktapur people before and since  the time of partition Hindustan(India)-Pakistan in 1947.
Buam also informed that before 2010 Muktapur people freely do fishing and visit Kali Mandir in Muktapur APL (Dibir Hoar area). He said the Bangladesh nationals never dare to come even nearby Kali Mandir area adding but after 2010 and from 2011 onwards they started coming and visit Kali Mandir. 

The general secretary however said this year, it is completely ruled by Bangladeshi nationals. They came very close to Muktapur village by the side of our houses do fishing and cultivate crops in APL area. 

He alleged that even the BSF has no objection for them doing so adding that Muktapur people no more allowed by BSF to visit Kali Mandir not even for fishing.

“When asked the BSF the reason, they told us that Muktapur APL have been gifted by India to Bangladesh,” he further alleged. 

Asking how is that possible, Buam said, “We still remembered the cross firing 2010, between India and Bangladesh occurred in Muktapur that lasted for more than a month (from February 4 to March 14, 2010). The Indian BSF fired against the BDR (now BGB) more than 3000 bullets to save this APL in Muktapur. But now BSF they told us it has been gifted to Bangladesh. If that was true, on what ground and reason they based it? (Even our present CM visit and witnessed the Cross Firing at Muktapur in 2010),” he said.

Referring to the Protocol 2011 (LBA), Buam said it states for “Redrawing of International Boundary in Adverse Possession Land (APL), to maintain the status quo”. 

He further questioned that if Muktapur APL has been gifted to Bangladesh, How come they did so? That meant they violated and bypass the Protocol 2011? Is it possible to violate and bypass the LBA Protocol? 

“Muktapur APL is about 55.3 acres. If Muktapur lost APL, it will cost a huge loss to Muktapur and Meghalaya (India). The Muktapur APL which acts like a small lake or pond is the main livelihood stream of Muktapur fishermen both in the past and the present. It will make them difficult to earn their livelihood in other professionals,” he stated.

He added it will also be a huge loss to house property and crops of Muktapur people, where hundreds of houses and crop fields, will be under the fence if APL being lost.