A candlelight peace vigil was held at the State Central Library premises in Shillong on Saturday evening, bringing together citizens and members of civil society amid continuing tensions between Meghalaya and Assam.
Held near the statues of freedom fighters U Tirot Sing and Thianglongpa, the gathering was organised under the theme “Citizens & Civil Society for Peace, Healing and Harmony.” Participants lit candles and appealed for an end to hatred and violence, urging people on both sides of the border to maintain peace, understanding and restraint.
Editor of The Shillong Times Patricia Mukhim called for communal harmony and urged the government to identify those responsible for the violence and disruption, while highlighting the impact of the situation on ordinary citizens.
Kiddies Corner School principal Bryan Wahlang spoke about the shock and concern among students following the violence and stressed that differences should be resolved through dialogue. He also appealed to people in Assam not to associate the wider Meghalaya community with the actions of a small group.
Former diplomat Rudi Warjri said the vigil offered hope amid the fear created by the recent violence. He also called for legitimate grievances to be addressed through greater transparency and cautioned against allowing wider concerns among the youth to remain unresolved.
The gathering concluded with a collective appeal for peace, healing and harmony, with participants emphasising that differences must be addressed through dialogue rather than violence.
