Shillong, Dec 31: On Monday the 30/12/2025, the Jaiñtia National Council (JNC) commemorated the 163rd anniversary of the martyrdom of the legendary freedom fighter U Woh Kiang Nangbah. Members gathered under the JNC banner to honor this iconic figure at the Kiang Nangbah memorial stone in Khliehriat, where he was executed by British colonial forces in 1862.
They pledged to revive his indomitable spirit in the face of current threats to Jaiñtia land, culture, and sovereignty. The JNC of the CEC leaders and members from all zones, along with Unit and Circle representatives, paid homage to Nangbah’s legacy with floral tributes.
In his keynote address, JNC President Shri Sambormi Lyngdoh delivered a powerful condemnation of recurring colonial betrayals, asserting that today’s struggles echo the rebellion of Nangbah. “During Kiang Nangbah’s time, the deceitful British misled our village elders and Dollois of the elakas, trampling upon our sacred traditions,” Lyngdoh proclaimed, eliciting thunderous applause.
“The Doloi of Nartiang Elaka called forth the largest assembly in Jaiñtia history (Ka Ri ki Khat-ar Dolloi), a rallying cry against foreign forces tarnishing our Pnar customs and culture. From that pivotal moment, U Woh Kiang Nangbah arose, divinely appointed to lead our people in righteous anger.”
Lyngdoh recounted the legendary event when “Nangbah leaped into the Myntdu River, searching for a sacred leaf as a sign of divine approval. Emerging victorious, he held it high, declaring, ‘As this green leaf clings together in threes, so must we—united in vision, strength, and principles, to protect our communities forever! This was not just a symbol; it was a battle cry for unbreakable Jaiñtia unity.
With the intensity of a prophetic storm, Lyngdoh revealed disturbing similarities: “The venomous cycle of history is spinning once more! Just as British conspirators deceived our Dollois in the past, today’s governments and opportunistic outsiders employ the same deceitful tactics, enticing village elders and elaka leaders with false assurances to appropriate our ancestral lands for cement empires, destructive mining operations, and industrial exploitation.
The betrayal by Shree Cement in Daistong, the labor invasions by Amrit, and the border encroachments from Assam are not mere coincidences; they are deliberate attacks on our Sixth Schedule sanctuaries, echoing the colonial land grabs that sparked Nangbah’s uprising!”
He thundered against the division, “Nangbah’s demise was caused by a treacherous black sheep among us; today, we pledge zero tolerance for such vipers! As sons of this sacred land, I call upon you to unite with the fierce spirit of that Myntdu leaf! Create one vision, one unbreakable strength, one ironclad principle to reclaim every inch of Jaiñtia territory.
Governments may stumble, elakas may hesitate, but JNC stands as Nangbah’s fist to the united; we are invincible; divided, we will fall. No black sheep shall taint our ranks; we will expel them, expose them, and eliminate their shadows!”.
