Shillong June 19: The Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya, (comprising Ka Dorbar Ki Khlieh Nongsynshar Ka Ri Hynniewtrep, Federation of Khasi States, Ki Sirdarship, Ki Dolloi, Council of Nokmas) in an emergent meeting today 19 June 2013, expresses its appreciation to Shri. PN Syiem, MDC, & MLA, CEM KHADC, and members of the Council for agreeing to refer the controversial proposed Village Administration Bill 2013 to the Select Committee, for further scrutiny and amendment, and urge the KHADC authorities to call for views from the various Hima within Khasi Hills.
The Grand Council of Chiefs would like to draw the attention of the KHADC, that till date out of the 25 Khasi States, only 12 Succession Acts have been legislated by the KHADC, while no Acts have been legislated till date by the KHADC for the other 13 important Khasi States.
The Chiefs are concerned that till date only two Khasi States, that is Nongstoin Syiemship and Maharam Syiemship, have managed to get their own separate KHADC Acts and Rules legislated, while the KHADC is yet to legislate and frame Rules for the rest 23 Khasi States, which has resulted in frequent political interferences, instability and numerous lengthy court disputes between the KHADC and the Chiefs, sometimes reaching the door steps of the Supreme Court.
The Grand Council of Chiefs would also like to highlight the difficulties of the 29 Sirdarships (erstwhile British Areas), wherein the KHADC authorities have legislated only 7 Sirdarship Acts against the 29 in existence, out of these 29 Sirdarships, the KHADC is yet to also restore the status of 4 to 5 Sirdarships to their original status as they were subjugated and were annexed during British conquest while the other Sirdarships subjugated and detached from their erstwhile Syiemships.
The Grand Council also request that the KHADC authorities should take urgent steps to delete and correct the name ‘Hima Raid Mynsaw’ which is an Elaka constituted and recognised by the KHADC few years ago, and to restore its historical correct name to ‘Hima Nongmynsaw’, which is the correct name since time immemorial, the people and the Syiem Clan of Hima Nongmynsaw, have petitioned this matter so many times, this wrong name is misleading and even causing difficulties in resolutions of the boundary dispute along Langpih between Meghalaya and Assam.
The Chiefs also express there concerns to the fact that in Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council till date no Act or Rule have been legislated for the 18 Elaka Dolloiship and one Sirdarship, Similarly till date no Act or Rule have been legislated for the Nokmas in Garo Hills.
The Grand Council of Chiefs therefore urge the concerned Autonomous District Councils to address these very important issues of codification for the preservation and promotion of the traditional customs and usages in Meghalaya. (SP News)
