SHILLONG, March 11: Hundreds of residents of Hima Nongspung on Thursday staged a protest in front of the office of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) at Garikhana, demanding ouster of the acting Syiem, Kyntiewborlang Syiemlieh.
The residents also demanded of the Council to reinstate former Syiem of the Hima, Patrick Syiemiong, who was suspended for nearly a year on charges of alleged corruption and mismanagement.
While speaking to reporters after the meeting, the executive member in-charge Elaka, Jambor War, president of Kur Syiemiong, Elingstar Syiemiong, informed that they exhorted the EM to appoint a full-fledged Syiem of the Hima Nongspung. “We would want the Council to reinstate the former Syiem who was put under suspension,” Syiemiong said.
According to Elingstar, they had filed an RTI and as per its findings, the former Syiem was innocent.
He said that they are happy with the assurance given by the EM that the Executive Committee (EC) will examine their demand for reinstatement of the former Syiem.
“We have decided to wait to allow the Council to examine this matter,” Syiemiong said.
According to the residents of the Hima, the Syiem of Hima Nongspung should come from the “Syiemiong” clan.
“We are unhappy with the decision of the Council to appoint someone from the ‘Syiemlieh’ clan as the Syiem of the Hima. We would like the KHADC to immediately reinstate the former Syiem,” the residents of the Hima said.
Meanwhile, Wandonbok Jyrwa, a representative of the Jyrwa clan who was part of the delegation, said that the matter is still under inquiry, according to the EM.
“We had demanded the Council to appoint someone else in place of Kyntiewborlang Syiemlieh till the inquiry against the former Syiem is completed,” Wandonbok said.