SHILLONG, Oct 17: Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai or the Voice of Mawlai People, a conglomerate of 11 organisations, will henceforth be represented only by the Mawlai Town Dorbar (MTD), Seng Kynthei Mawlai Pyllun (SKMP) and Seng Samla Mawlai Pyllun (SSMP).
This decision was taken during a meeting convened by the MTD and attended by the members of SKMP and representatives of the Seng Kynthei of various localities of Mawlai on Friday.
MTD chairman SD Khongwir on Sunday said the MTD, SKMP and SSMP will represent Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai as the three pillars of the traditional Khasi form of governance.
“Organisations with only two or three members cannot say they represent the voice of the people of Mawlai,” he said, adding that the three bodies will henceforth be raising issues affecting the people of Mawlai.
Khongwir said the three bodies will together contest a provision incorporated in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Appointment and Succession of Syiem, Deputy Syiem, Electors and Rangbah Shnong of Mylliem Syiemship) Act, 2007, which disallows women to vote in the election of the Rangbah Shnong. “We are totally against this particular provision since women are part and parcel of the Dorbar Shnong. We are talking about empowering women. As a matrilineal society, we should lead by example by allowing women to take part in the voting,” Khongwir, who is also the Rangbah Shnong of Mawlai Nonglum, said.
He said the incorporation of such a provision will give a wrong impression that the Dorbar Shnong is male-centric.
“We will soon be meeting the KHADC Chief Executive Member, Titosstarwell Chyne and the Executive Member in charge to express the need to remove this particular provision from the said Act,” the MTD chairman said.
When asked if they will continue to seek justice for the family of the slain former HNLC leader, Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, Khongwir said they will restrain from touching any controversial issue.
He further said the members of the Mawlai Circle of the Khasi Students’ Union had met him to express their disappointment that they had been excluded.
He said he told the KSU members that they are not part and parcel of the Dorbar Shnong.
“But I told them that we can always work together on any common issues affecting the people of Mawlai,” Khongwir said.