TURA: Displaying its might in numbers and having legal documents at hand to prove a point, hundreds of members from the Chambugong clan, the largest clan in Garo Hills, held a protest rally on Friday in Tura against attempts by former ANVC-B militant chief Bernard Rimpu N Marak to usurp the powers of the Danakgre A;king Nokma by claiming himself as the “Chief of Tura Town Nokma Committee”.
The leaders of the clan later submitted a memorandum to the Garo Hills autonomous District Council seeking the cancellation of nokmaship of Enilla Ch Marak.
Much controversy and heated arguments have been doing the rounds since the last couple of months, ever since Bernard Rimpu Marak had claimed to have been “anointed” with the authority of “Nokmaship” by the current Danakgre Nokma Enilla Ch Marak.
A large chunk of Tura town falls under the A’king land of Danakgre and attempts by the former rebel chief to impose his authority by issuing and renewing land pattas of the public had resulted in an uproar forcing the district administration to step in and seal the office of the self-styled “Tura Town Nokma” at Babupara.
With the Danakgre Nokma, Enilla Ch Marak, siding with the ex-militant and refusing to adhere to the traditional laws of the clan, the clan members decided to take legal recourse by approaching the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to seek the removal of nokmaship of Enilla.
On Friday, large numbers of Chambugong clan filled the district auditorium in Tura to take part in a public meeting to denounce Rimpu Marak for his alleged attempts at grabbing the Nokmaship and also demanded removal of Enilla.
Representatives from other clans in Tura together with the Council of Nokmas and senior citizens of the town gave their support by participating in the meeting which later culminated in a silent rally to the GHADC office where a delegation submitted a memorandum to chief executive member (CEM) Boston Ch Marak demanding legal action against the current Danakgre nokma and the former militant.
“This is not an issue concerning only the Chambugong clan. It affects the entire Nokmaship of the Garo tribe because an attempt is being made to grab the position and the land by someone who doesn’t belong to the clan by taking advantage of the weakness of an individual nokma,” said retired Meghalaya Inspector General of Police (IGP) and President of the Council of Nokmas, Skylance G Momin.
Vice president of the male (Chra) members of the clan, All Garo Hills Chambugong Chra Association, Brenzield Ch Marak pointed out that the nokma does not have the sole power of authority over land and by law requires to obtain the consent of the entire clan.
“Rimpu is trying to grab the power of the nokma when the entire clan is against him,” said Brenzield Marak.
The Chambugong clan elders have also leveled allegations of forgery on the ANVC-B leader citing recent statements issued by the rebel and the Danakgre nokma.
“There is strong indication he (Rimpu) is forging the signature of the Danakgre nokma because two different letter pads are being used to issue statements. We have also come to know that threat and coercion is being used against her to get documents signed. This is the reason we have decided to approach the GHADC to cancel her nokmaship,” said Cary Ch Marak, president of the All Garo Hills Chambugong Chra Association.
The Chambugong clan have also expressed their gratitude to the general public of Tura and members of different clans who came to participate in the protest rally against the former militant chief.