U Tirot Sing statue unveiled in city

SHILLONG, JULY 17: Rich tributes were paid to the legendary Khasi freedom fighter U Tirot Sing Syiem on his 180th death anniversary. A statue of the Khasi tribal king, an initiative of Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), was unveiled by veteran journalist Sumar Sing Sawian, an authority of Khasi culture and history, in the presence of veteran politician Hoping Stone Lyngdoh at Iewrynghep ground, Laitumkhrah  on Friday.

Different regional political parties leader and ngos that includes KSU, FKJGP and HNYF were present during unveiling of the statue of the Khasi freedom fighter and floral tributes were also paid by them.

This is the second initiative taken up by the KSU after the first statue of a Jaintia freedom fighter U Kiang Nangbah was erected at Barik point on December, last year.

U Tirot Sing, a tribal Khasi chief of Nongkhlaw Kingdom, was the first tribal Khasi ruler to rebel against the British Empire in 1829. On January 13, 1833, the British forces treacherously captured him and kept him in captivity at Dhaka where he died on July 17, 1835.

Unveiling the statue , Sawian said, “The statue should not remain just as an object to beautify the city but a source of inspiration to continue the fight to protect the indigenous community from all the challenges.”

Stating that without strong principle it is difficult to struggle, he said, “It is important to have solid principle to understand the road we take when we struggle for the cause of the indigenous community.”

Pointing out at the issue pertaining to influx, which has create a sense of insecurity among the indigenous community, Sawian, however, said, “A strong and effective protection against such influx comes from the family and the traditional institutions.”

“If institutions like the Dorbar Shnong and Dorbar Hima becomes weak and perish, for sure the indigenous community will be overpowered by external forces,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, North East Students’ Organization (NESO) chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said the statue is a testimony that we as a community do have our own great freedom fighters, our heroes.

According to him, people sometimes tend to make those people who are not from their own community as their heroes because of lack of knowledge about their own freedom fighters.

“The objective of having this statue is to allow us especially the younger generation to know how these great fighters have sacrifice for our cause and we are what we are today is because of them,” Jyrwa said.

Recalling the bravery of U Tirot Sing Syiem during his fight against the British empire, he, however, said, “But the indigenous community at present is facing the intrusion from outsiders, who attempt to take away our rights, politically, socially and economically,” adding “This is the threat, which are yet to be resolved today.”

Jyrwa further pointed out that the British Empire in the name of development had fooled the people by requesting to allow construction of a road for them. However, they later showed their true intension when the same road they have built in the name of bringing development was used by them to invade the Khasi kingdom.

“Now, it is true this same ‘road’, the government of India is trying to bulldoze and fooled the people of the state,” Jyrwa said while referring to the recent proposal of the government to construct a road in Uranium rich deposit of West Khasi Hills region.

Stating that we all know the consequences if uranium mining if it is allowed to be mined in the state, Jyrwa said therefore, the people of the state are urged not to repeat the same mistake of giving their trust in the name of development.- By Our Reporter