GNLA :Don’t tamper customary laws

TURA, JULY 24: The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) termed the move of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to codify the customary law as a move to protect the ST status for chief minister Mukul Sangma.

GNLA political secretary Bikdot Nikjang Marak in a release on Thursday said, “The intention of the bill is to legally assimilate non-tribal as Garos”. The outfit is of the view that the Congress ruled district council was in hurry to pass the bill for vested interest.”

The 30 member GHADC has 24 Congress MDCs.  “Any modification or alteration of the Garo customary law will not be accepted by GNLA”, Marak added. The outfit also issued a warning to the GHADC members and its chief executive member, Alphonse A. Sangma. He said, “We will act beyond imagination if an attempt is made to introduce the bill.”

Stating that the age-old traditions of the matrilineal Garo society should not be changed or modified, Marak said, “The change or alternation to such viable practices or laws does not arise at all”.

Marak questioned, “How can any person, born of either a non-Garo mother or a non-Garo father, become a ‘Garo’   by mere official recognition or just because they are accepted by some clan, known as deragata by just following the Garo practices? Similarly, how can a non-Garo person who marries a Garo woman be recognised as a Garo just because he agrees to follow the Garo culture, system, customs and traditions?”

Marak also remarked that that the practice of adoption to any particular clan is limited to the Garos only. He said, “The bill intending to manipulate the centuries old customary law seems like a business deal.”

Terming that the bill was an attempt to save chief minister Mukul Sangma, who is embroiled in a case to prove his tribal status, Marak accused the Congress council members for working at the behest of the chief minister.

“With the tribal status of Mukul and his brother Zenith Sangma in question, this bill emerges as the trump card for their escape”, said Marak.

Marak also issued a warning saying,”Any attempt to change or support or in favor of this bill, by any politician, minister, or public leader will be dealt with utmost severity by GNLA.”- From Our Correspondent