SHILLONG, SEPT 14: A delegation of MDCs of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has decided to seek an audience with chief minister Mukul Sangma on Tuesday and demand the state government to refrain from infringing into the powers and subjects of the district councils through any proposed law.
The decision was taken at an all-party MDC meeting convened by KHADC’s chief executive member (CEM) PN Syiem on Monday.
The meeting saw attendance of MDCs from the United Democratic Party (UDP) and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), the two out of three coalition partners of opposition All Regional Parties Alliance (ARPA) as well as members from the ruling People Democratic Front (PDF).
Six MDCs of the Hill State People Democratic Party (HSPDP) skipped the meeting today.
Independent MDC from Nongthymmai Latiplang Kharkongor, who earlier supported the HSPDP in the MUDA related issue, was present in the all-party MDC meeting.
“We have decided to meet chief minister Mukul Sangma to submit our written opposition against any attempt by the state government to legislate laws for the traditional institutions and headmen, which are subject matter of the district council,” KHADC chief PN Syiem told reporters after the meeting.
According to him, this was also the decision adopted by the Federation of Traditional Dorbar (FTD) at the Dorbar Bah Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep (Grand Assembly) which was held at Polo ground on September 5.
Syiem who is also heading the FTD said, “We have decided to come together under one voice to send a clear message to the state government that we are not going to accept its proposed draft bill.”
Taking a different stand altogether, traditional chiefs from the 25 Khasi states under the banner of the Federation of Khasi States (FKS) led by its adviser Laborious Manik Syiem had recently sought the intervention of the state’s chief adviser DD Lapang to urged the state government to empower by law the existing tribal institutions.
In its memorandum, the FKS had also stated, “We urged this government to empower by law our existing tribal institutions and draft them into the modern governance system as full partners for completing the process of functional democracy which have been hanging fire for so long.”
On this, Syiem said, “We have decided to call all the traditional functionaries of the FKS to prevail upon them that they should immediately withdraw the memorandum submitted to the chief adviser of the state government.”
“This is in view taken in the September 5-grand assembly that decided that anything related to the traditional institutions and headmen, the matter should be discuss with the FTD, which has taken a strong stand to opposed laws legislated by the state,” Syiem added.
He also informed that the KHADC would soon convene a meeting with all the traditional heads especially those from the FKS to have a better understanding on the issue.- By Our Reporter
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