SHILLONG, June 19: Members of civil society and groups as well as individuals numbering 90 came together to deliberate over issues plaguing the state at present and to look for ways to take the citizen’s concerns into the electoral arena.
This was facilitated by a new citizens’ platform called KAM Meghalaya.
The objective of KAM Meghalaya is to challenge the “sense of hopeless cynicism present in the current political climate in the state that has sidelined the values of participatory democracy, accountability and honesty”.
The genesis of the political platform emerges from the experiences of people’s struggles across the gamut from gender justice movements to environmental justice protests, anti corruption and workers’ rights struggles, a statement issued here informed.
With the aim to gather civil society’s voices to intervene in the upcoming assembly elections, as candidates and voters, KAM proposes the need to identify shared values that are committed to changes that are democratic, pro-people and inclusive.
KAM has released a draft discussion and action document (in Khasi and English) to identify both the ‘crisis’ of democracy and governance in the state as well as ideas towards cleaning up the ‘mess’.
They also released a website (www.kammeghalaya.in) that carries the documents for download as well as an interactive survey through which citizens can voice their concerns and ideas for change.
During a lively discussion moderated by Wanpynhun Kharsyntiew of Domestic Workers Movement, participants representing the cross section of the state’s citizenry both in terms of class and ethnicity, engaged with the document and idea of the platform and made many valuable suggestions towards taking KAM forward.
According to the statement, the platform is an “invitation to transform a polity dominated by dynastic power and patronage and funded by destructive business interests, which requires the full and active participation of the working class”.
