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Meghalaya: Memorandum Against Dilution of Nokmanship Institution of Unrepresented Tribes in the Proposed Amendment of 6th Schedule

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To, the editor

The North-Eastern Chronicle,

Guwahati, Assam

Dear Sir/Madam,

In inviting a reference to this Memorandum of Discontentment Towards The Tyranny Proposal Of Union Cabinet For Regressive Amendment Of Sixth Schedule With Special Reference To Unrepresented Tribes & Village Council In GHADC and as one of the leading NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) of Garo Hills, Meghalaya, “A.CHIK HOLISTIC AWAKENINGMOVEMENT (AHAM) “, a non-profit organization with its headquarter in Tura, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya have the honour of placing it before the table of Honourable Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri. Conrad K. Sangma.

Thee organization on behalf of the Garo Tribe in the State of Meghalaya, implores Your Honour to kindly reconsider the proposed amendment made especially in regard to the Unrepresented Tribes and the setting up of Village Council as an elected body in the areas of GHADC. 

Amendment

Respected Sir, we as an organization would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for becoming the voice of Garo Tribe in rejecting the tyranny proposal of inclusion of the term “unrepresentative tribe” while expressing our concern in regard to the proposed amendment in relation to “Village Council” by the Union Cabinet. 

Sir, it is a known fact that our country India is mostly occupied or dominated by a general category that still governed over the minority category. Our Indian history also witnessed the system where people were divided into four main categories – Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Sudras.

The top three of the hierarchy namely – Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas were regarded as the upper classes and at the bottom and the last category was Sudras, which is regarded as the lowest section of people, the tribal, the Dalits or the untouchables. India is one of the largest democratic countries with 29 states is home to 1.39 billion having different cultures, usages, traditions and practices. Lower classes or tribal are very few in number and are living at present in few states of India such as Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura and Mizoram. 

The framer of the Indian Constitution was aware of the ill-treatment towards the so-called lower classes by the dominant societies (upper classes), hence, within the Indian Constitution the framer has inserted various Articles and SIXTH SCHEDULES with the aim of safeguarding on the 7th of September 1949 under the headnote of, “PROVISION AS TO ADMINISTRATION OF TRIBAL AREAS IN THE STATES OF ASSAM, MEGHALAYA, TRIPURA AND MIZORAM‟. Sixth Schedules recognized the identities of our tribal, rights of indigenous people by allowing the established autonomous body to governed and framed rules for the tribal living within the State. 

Honourable Chief Minister, the suggested proposal by Union Cabinet directly aim at disturbing our peaceful living by adopting or polluting the said autonomous bodies which are solely meant to safeguard our three major tribes of Meghalaya comprising of Garo, Khasi and Jaintia 

Amendment

Among these three tribes (Garo, Khasi and Jaintia), our organization represent Garo Tribe and in the existing Sixth Schedule, the framer of the Indian Constitution has blessed our tribe with an autonomous body which became full-pledged during the Assam regime under the Sixth Schedule in 1952, with the end of protecting our unique custom, culture, ethnicity and to practice our old age religion without any hindrance, under Sixth Schedule the right over our land is still underlying under our A’king nokma/Nokmaship which is of very significant. 

Garo Hills is a mixture of every caste and creed but Garo Hills is the only place where Garo people reside and practices their unique custom and culture, the place which we as a Garo called “Home”.

The only place where a unique system of Nokmaship still exists. The recent alleged amendment proposal by the Union Cabinet has been in controversy and all over the Garo Hills large number comprising of both NGOs‟s and the general public including the A‟king Nokmas has been protesting against the amendment proposal Bill 2019.

As you may be aware, that Nokma is the custodian of the community asset in accord with the traditional customs of Garo Tribe and having Sixth Schedule provisions to guide and preserve this traditional institution, the proposal for having an elected body of Village Council shall dilute and tarnish the power and functions of the Nokma Institution which remains as a pillar and a pedestal to the culture and traditions of our forefathers, i.e the Garo Tribe.

The proposed amendment, as you are aware seeks to supersede the traditional institution, Nokma, which is in existence for years by becoming a custodian of the community asset. 

It may be reminded that the organization has no issues towards the development activities and the policies towards the direct funding of the Centre to GHADC, however, diluting the power and functions of the traditional Institution such as Nokmaship remains our deepest concern. In empowering the GHADC, the proposed amendment has forgotten to empower the traditional Institution such as Nokmaship and under the proposed amendment of Village Council, the power and functions of Nokmaship remain obsolete in the process of development in his own area. 

In view of the above, the organization voice dissent along with all the other eminent NGOs and the Council Of Nokmas against the proposed amendment of village council while we stand unanimously with all the eminent NGOs of Garo Hills against the inclusion of Unrepresented Tribes In GHADC and implore your honour to do corrective measure, the failure of which, may result in democratic means of agitation in days to come. 

Respected Honourable Chief Minister, in conclusion, we hope and wish that you will keep your headstrong and will firmly stand against any kind of proposal or imposition which aims at disturbing our rights and peaceful living in future as well. proposed amendment of Village Council, the power and functions of Nokmaship remains obsolete in the process of development in his own area.

In view of the above, the organization voice dissent along with all the other eminent NGOs and the Council Of Nokmas against the proposed amendment of village council while we stand unanimously with all the eminent NGOs of Garo Hills against the inclusion of Unrepresented Tribes In GHADC and implore your honour to do corrective measure, the failure of which, may result in democratic means of agitation in days to come. 

Respected Honourable Chief Minister, in conclusion, we hope and wish that you will keep your headstrong and will firmly stand against any kind of proposal or imposition which aims at disturbing our rights and peaceful living in future as well.

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