SHILLONG: The pro-lineage bill group has admitted that there are shortcomings in the amendment bill and said it needs to be studied.
Members of the Saiñdur, Tipkur Tipkha, Ieng, Ehrngiew, Khun Hynñiewtrep, or STIEH, met Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday.
Tynsong suggested soliciting public opinion to fine-tune the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom Lineage) (Second Amendment), Bill, 2018.
“He (Tynsong) suggested placing the bill in the public domain for a few days to get views. We need to further study the bill to refine it,” STIEH’s Badariti Lyngdoh Nonglait told reporters.
“We cannot deny that the Bill has shortcomings. He (Tynsong) said the state government will send it back to the KHADC. It all depends on the KHADC to further improve it,” she added.
However, she maintained that STIEH would lend its support to the bill despite the shortcomings.
Vice-president Felicita Majaw pointed out that the loopholes would be examined by the legal expert committee in the KHADC.
“We are here to put pressure on the state government to be united with the KHADC to ensure that the bill is passed as we are apprehensive of the threat of illegal immigration/infiltration. The governor should give his assent to the bill and hopefully it will not go to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” she said.
Asked on why they support the bill, Majaw said danger awaits the tribal community in the state from outside intrusion. “This is the time that we know there is something going with those who oppose the bill and we want to know why.”
Driving home the point on their support for the bill, Lyngdoh Nonglait said there are no laws to protect the customary rights of the tribals and it has become apparent that the tribal community in the state is being oppressed from every side.
“There is no law to protect the silent intrusion, which is through marriage. This is the reason why we support the bill,” she said, adding that shortcomings can be further examined and rectified.
Pointing to the shortcomings, Lyngdoh Nonglait said that no mention was made of the man’s position if he marries a non-tribal woman. Secondly, the bill did not specify the position of the offspring of a Khasi woman and a non-Khasi man if she marries a Khasi. Thirdly, it also does not say whether the Khasi woman can get back her Khasi status if the non-Khasi husband abandons or divorces her.
“There are many complicated issues but it is up to the wisdom of the KHADC to come up with improvement,” she said and pointed out that the bill did not prevent women from marrying men outside their tribe.
Criticising the anti-bill group, Majaw said, “The people who oppose the bill have their own interest. They send a wrong picture outside the state and we are to clarify that there is nothing racist, sexist or discriminatory towards other people.” “Some say that he (Shylla) made a hasty decision. He may have been hasty but then the oppression of the tribal people is so much that we need an immediate bill to protect our rights,” she added.
