‘Raid land being sold to individuals, businessmen’
SHILLONG: Traditional heads under Hima Khyrim have issued a ten-day deadline to stop all ‘illegal sale’ of the Raid land at Mawpdang under the New Shillong Township (NST).
The traditional heads have threatened to stage a hunger strike in front of the office of the Syiem of Hima Khyrim, if the Syiem, Dr Balajied Syiem, fails to initiate action to stop the illegal sale of the Raid land within the given deadline.
It is reported that the Syiem of Khyrim failed to take any action to stop sale of the Raid land despite several petitions being submitted to him by the aggrieved Dorbar Shnong.
“We decided to submit a petition to the Syiem of Khyrim serving a ten-day deadline to take necessary action against the illegal sale of the Raid land,” headman of Mawiong – Diengpasoh (Road) Richard Kharumnuid and Mawkhanu headman Dondor Nongkynrih jointly told reporters at a news conference held here on Monday.
“The illegal sale of the Raid land would displace many families who have been residing in these lands for the past many decades,” the headmen said, while stating that the villagers from the two villages who are wholly dependent on agricultural activities for their livelihood would be severely affected if the sale is allowed to go on.
According to the headmen, over 200 households from the two villages – 150 in Mawiong-Diengpasoh (Road) and around 50 in Mawkhanu – would be displaced if the raid land is allowed to be sold.
Kharumnuid alleged that two lands measuring 55 acres and 600 acres were sold away illegally to individuals without the consent of the people of the area falling under Mawpdang Raid.
The headmen reminded that in 1988-1990, a decision of the Raid to sell the land was cancelled by the Syiem of Hima Khyriem following the request made by the local Dorbar Shnong.
“The Syiem had, during that time, directed that sale of land belonging to tribals is strictly prohibited,” Kharumnuid recalled.
“However, it was it 2008 that the Mawpdang Raid had again proposed the need to sell the land by giving false promises to the people of the Raid. On October 16, 2008, the Sordar of Mawpdang Raid convened a meeting and persuaded the people by saying that the intention to sell the land is to allow setting up of educational institutions for the benefit of the people,” Kharumnuid said, while pointing out that till date not a single educational institution had been established in the area.
“People were fooled and the Raid instead had sold away the land to individuals and big businessmen,” he added.