SHILLONG, SEPT 5: Federation of Traditional Dorbars (FTD), mouthpiece of the indigenous tribal communities, was formally constituted during the Dorbar Bah Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep (Grand Assembly) organized by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) at Polo ground on Saturday even as the gathering adopted other resolutions.
The FTD is constituted to send a clear message to state and centre governments to not disturb the age-old customary laws.
Five-point resolutions were adopted by the ‘Dorbar Bah Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep that saw the participation of the autonomous district councils of the state, traditional heads and the dorbars.
Immediate de-notifying of the recent notification on the MUDA building byelaws, a big fat ‘no’ to the ordinance and the proposed fresh draft bill, which seeks to empower traditional chief, were the resolutions taken by the Dorbar Bah.
Dorbar Bah also unanimously resolved to approved the two legislations – KHAD (Appointment and Succession of Chiefs & Headmen) Rules, 2015 and KHAD (Land Development and Building Regulation) 2015, which was also announced to be effective starting from September 7.
The resolution was also adopted by raising hands by the over 2000 crowd of traditional chiefs and traditional functionaries from across the six districts of the Khasi-Jaintia hills region.
Announcing the resolutions, KHADC Chief Executive Member Pynshngainlang N Syiem said, “The Federation of Traditional Dorbars (FTD) was notified by the KHADC recently which will be the mouthpiece of the indigenous community to fight against the issues that are confronting it to ensure its rights and interest are preserved and protected.”
He said, the meeting also wanted to send a clear message to the centre and state governments to refrain from disturbing the traditional customary laws and from attempting to make laws for the traditional institutions and chiefs.
Elaborating more on the role of the FTD, Syiem said, “The FTD also proposed to fight for strengthening of the traditional set up by seeking equal extension of Article 371 to Meghalaya, like to Nagaland and Mizoram.”
Syiem also informed that FTD will have 25 representatives, of which 10 will be from Dorbar Shnongs, 5 each from Dorbar Raij, Dorbar Hima and district councils of Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
Rejecting the ordinance and also the proposed new draft bill by the state government, Syiem said, “The Dorbar demand the state government to refrain from attempting to even place any of these in the state assembly session to be held soon.”
Referring to the sections of the Meghalaya Town and Country Planning Act, 1973 which restricted the state government from encroaching into the schedule areas, Syiem said, “Therefore, we have also demanded immediate de-notifying of the new notification of the MUDA building byelaws which was just a partial modification from the 10 villages falling under schedule area, that is still applicable till today.”
Syiem announced that the KHAD (Appointment and Succession of Chiefs & Headmen) Rules, 2015 and Land Development and Building Regulation, 2015 will be implemented from Monday. He said the former will restore the powers of Rangbah Shnong to issue certificates and NOC, the second one will ensure that people from now will approach the dorbar shnongs and the district council for building permission.
He said that the LDBR branch has already been notified to ensure the smooth implementation of the council’s building byelaws.
Syiem told the gathering that the resolutions adopted will be submitted to chief minister Mukul Sangma and his cabinet ministers, MLAs, political parties at the state and national level. It will also be circulated to all the traditional chiefs in the region, he informed.- By Our Reporter
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