SHILLONG, Oct 23: The eldest son of late Wickliffe Syiem, the Syiem Khynnah (deputy king) of Hima Nongstoin, Andrew Sohlamar, has favoured the idea of a book which will narrate the untold story of his father.
Speaking to a section of reporters recently, Sohlamar, who was in Shillong to attend a panel discussion organised by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) to mark the observation of the 34th death anniversary of his father on October 21, said that the family on its own will not be able to come up with such a book since a lot of research will be required.
“Former NEHU lecturer, Dr Helen Giri, had met the family as she was keen to write a book on my father. But it did not take off as we understand it was a difficult task. But from the family we are also trying,” he said.
According to him, he strongly believed here are many untold stories of his father.
“There are many documents in Delhi relating to my father. We can publish in the form of book if we can get those documents. I do not have my stories about him,” Sohlamar said.
He said that there are many articles/interviews in Bangladesh which have been published about Wickliffe Syiem. “But nothing has been published in the form of a book,” he added.
Wycliffe Syiem, a qualified engineer of his time, left the Hima of Nongstoin and went off to East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, where he lived till his death in October 1988. It is said that he laid the foundation for good governance much before the Indian Constitution was imposed on the hill state.
Sohlamar and his four brothers and three sisters are now settled in Rajai village under Sylhet Division in Bangladesh.
Wycliffe’s eldest son, who is also the president of Khasi Welfare Society, said that there are more than 30,000 Khasis who reside in Bangladesh.
“Majority of them are engaged in agricultural activities. But there are also so many who are engaged in different occupations like government service,” he said.
According to him, the Khasi population is leading a very difficult life since the Bangladesh government does not allow them to own land.
“We are living in forest areas and tea gardens. We fear that people we might be evicted,” Sohlamar said.
He says that they will have to come back to their own land if they can no longer survive in Bangladesh. “…but you can easily survive in Bangladesh for 100 years if you are Muslim or non-Khasi,” he said.
