By Micheal N Syiem
Influx, illegal migration or trans-border migration or whatever name you call it, there are reasons why people migrate, legally or illegally, across the border whether it’s from one state to the other or from one country to another.
To list some of the main reasons (1) Persecution because of political beliefs (2) Persecution because of religious beliefs, (3) War (4) Economic reasons-for an opportunity to earn a better livelihood, (5) Migration with an intention to dominate/ subjugate.
In the context of Meghalaya, migration can be briefly identified in the following category: (1) Migration or influx into Meghalaya because of political persecution can be identified only with the Tibetan refugees who say that they are being persecuted by the Chinese who claim that Tibet is a part of China (2) Migration because of persecution due to religious beliefs can be clubbed together with War in relation to Meghalaya because we had to put up with a refugee colony of Bangladesh Hindus who had migrated to our state due to persecution during the Bangladesh war of Independence (3) Migration due to economic reasons can be divided into two parts:
(a) Migration due to the small population of the indigenous people in Meghalaya and in the other N.E. states, but with an ever increasing demand for more labour as the states in the region strive to bring in more and faster development to their respective states, but which the indigenous population with their small population cannot provide, is another reason why this extra labour force is filled up by legal and illegal migrants who take advantage of this opportunity to earn a higher salary here than what they would have earned back home.
(b)Availability of economic opportunities is another reason for this legal and illegal migration especially in the context of Meghalaya.
Because of the system of inequitable distribution of property among the indigenous people of Meghalaya which does not financially empower the Khasi and Garo men and women apart from the youngest daughter of the family to go into economic activity, the large number of economic opportunities available in our state are quickly filled up by these legal and illegal migrants whose system allows and encourages their sons to undertake the financial and economic responsibilities and economic expansion right from their families. To take an example from the Iewduh market in Shillong, we see that from the Khasi side the market is dominated by the khasi women and from the migrants side by the men with the former gradually being bought out.
When there is an opportunity to earn a better livelihood across the border than what is available back home, then there is no Berlin wall, barbed wire fencing or any preventive mechanism that can stop a determined person from crossing the border legally or illegally to get that opportunity. Hence this migration to our state!
Another outcome of this inequitable distribution of property and the absence of a mandatory and compulsory registration of marriage law in our state, is that many migrants target the youngest daughters for marriage or live in relationships and because of their vast business experience, they use the youngest daughter’s wealth to further expand their business activities using their wife’s or their live- in mistress’s name and thereby earning extra financial benefits by not having to paying Income Tax. After amassing enough wealth many of these migrants leave their wives /mistresses as we read in the newspapers from time to time.
Migration with an intention to dominate and subjugate is the greatest threat to small populated indigenous people of the region. It has happened in Tripura, it is happening in Tibet and in Assam and if no urgent steps are taken it will happen in Meghalaya.
So what are the solutions. Apart from other mechanisms to check influx, Maitshaphrang proposes the following.
So what are the solutions. Apart from other mechanisms to check influx, Maitshaphrang proposes the following.
(1) The present industrial policy should be immediately reviewed and a new policy which lays more stress on capital intensive industries rather than labour intensive industries should be adopted immediately. The present industries that are labour intensive should be given a time frame to restructure their industries to be more capital intensive failing which they should be closed down. An important safeguard in the new industrial policy is that indigenous people should be given first opportunity to be trained as skilled labours before the industries are allowed to be set up.
(2) The law for Equitable Distribution of Ancestral and Self Acquired Property for both the Khasis and Garos should be immediately passed and all children of a family with property and wealth should encouraged and guided to take up economic activity in a big way in all areas so that we can gradually control the economic power in the state.
This will then allow us to control influx to a great extent.
We use the word Equitable not Equal which means Fair and Just. It depends on the wisdom of the parents to give or to will How Much to Whom. If the parents in their wisdom feel that the youngest daughter should inherit more or all of the wealth and property, this law will not prevent them from doing so. This law will only allow the parents the freedom of choice when a situation of choice demands.
In this age of multinational companies and joint collaborations the state govt. should make it a priority to allow the growing number of rich businessmen among the indigenous people of the state to get the first opportunity in these joint ventures.
In conclusion, economic power and influx control mechanism is interlinked and is an immediate priority for protecting the Achik and the Hynniewtrep people from becoming minorities in their own land.
(The author is President Mait Shaphrang Movement)