SHILLONG, JULY 13: Khasi traditional chiefs on Monday met Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) chief executive member ) PN Syiem and sought removal of two clauses in the VAB which talks about introduction of a village development council (VDC) saying these clauses is an attempt to “uproot” the age old customary practices of the indigenous institutions.
A delegation of the traditional chiefs under the banner of the Federation of Khasi States (FKS) said they want removal of this particular clause along with clause 13 and 15, which reflects in the KHAD (Village Administration) Bill of 2014 and 2015and now awaiting the Governor’s assent.
Under clause 13 of the VAB, an new entity called the Village Development Council (VDC) is introduced, clause 15 of the bill however gives the VDC functions and responsibilities that has always been in the purview of the dorbar shnongs since time immemorial.
“We urged the KHADC to consider correction/remove of these two clauses which can affect the age old traditional customary practices of the indigenous institutions,” FKS advisor Laborious Manik S Syiem told newsmen after the meeting.
According to him, though section (i) of clause 13 says that the VDC will be under the supervision of the Dorbar Shnong and will be accountable to it, section (iv) however envisages the election of a chairman for the VDC.
Stating this will pave the way for creating two power centres in the village, Syiem said, “This serves to set up a new authority in the village which so far recognizes only the customary dorbar shnong and the Rangbah Shnong.”
Similarly, he said that clause 15 of the VAB sought to give the VDC functions and responsibilities that has always been under the purview of the Dorbar Shnongs in earlier times and is still today.
Stating that VAB was framed to give legislative authority to the age old customary institution of the Dorbar Shnong and the Rangbah Shnong to bring it in line with the modern requirements of a development society at the grassroot, the FKS advisor said, “But these two clauses of the VAB has ended up uprooting the Khasi customary offices by taking away its functions in the modern democratic set up while attempting to replace them with a ‘clone’ which has no roots in our history or our traditions and one which will be competing with the customary offices for people’s loyalty.”
He added, “The VAB ought to be an instrument to help these customary offices evolve into modernity.”
Therefore, Syiem said, “We appeal to the KHADC to consider to set this right by correcting this and by allowing the VAB only when our age old traditional bodies are accorded their rightful place as the functioning customary offices which have been doing yeoman’s service of providing governance at the grassroots all these centuries and not as a mere rubber stamp as it appears in these clauses of the VAB.”
He said the FKS also urged the district council to take these actions for the safeguard of the Khasi customary institutions to ensure their continuity as modern vehicles of governance which is the only way forward for ancient Khasi people as a tribe in the contemporary world.
The FKS leader said that KHADC CEM assured the delegation that the matter would soon be placed before the executive committee for examination.- By Our Reporter
The bill need to take into consideration the role of the different clan council or seng kur /dorbar kur in the traditional customary governance in village, raid, hima level. The power to recall any underperforme representative.
The bill need to take into consideration the role of the different clan council or seng kur /dorbar kur in the traditional customary governance in village, raid, hima level. The power to recall any underperform representative of the Kur or clan as Syiem,Lyngdoh,Sirdar,Headman,Basan,Myntri(s),etc coz of late the so-called clan representative do not respect anymore the clan once they have power with them.