JOWAI: The All Jaintia Youth Welfare Organisation (AJYWO) Central Body on Friday supported the the Jaintia Social Custom of Lineage Bill-2018.
Lauding the initiative of JHADC led by CEM Madonbai Rymbai, the AJYWO hoped that the Bill will be discussed in the winter session of the Council.
“We, as the minority indigenous residents of Jaintia Hills, are badly in need of an act that would safeguard, protect and preserve the rights, interests of people of the region in all spheres. We know the JHADC can do that as per the power conferred upon it through the 6th Schedule to the Constitution of India,” AJYWO president M H Dkhar said in a statement.
“In the past many decades, the leaders of the JHADC had done nothing to come up with such an important legislation on behalf of our minority indigenous people. Had the JHADC done so, our people would have been not as it is now in terms of protecting its own interests,” Dkhar said.
Citing the example of another northeastern state, Tripura, the youth leader said that they don’t want things to happen like what had happened in Tripura.
“We are minority indigenous residents. We want to protect and preserve our rights, interests, identity, language, custom and tradition that we have inherited from our forefathers.”
He also said that JHADC must not delay any more regarding the matter.
“We want it (JHADC) to stay committed to the purpose it was meant to be. It is time for our people to stand united and take full responsibility to join hands with the District Council and support it which is for the larger interest of the indigenous people,” Dkhar said.
