Thirty-two refugees from the recent violence in Manipur are camping in Madanrting and the local Dorbar Shnong has claimed that they have done so without its knowledge.
The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) today called for a meeting with all the headmen of Shillong and representatives of Hima Mylliem to discuss the Manipur refugees.
Speaking to reporters, KHADC chief Titosstarwell Chyne said that many tribals from Manipur have taken refuge in Madanrting and have now spread across the city after the violence that broke out in Manipur.
“We have alerted all the Dorbar Shnongs in the city to be vigilant to the situation and to check the coming of outsiders, not only from Manipur but those from elsewhere who come as renters, traders, workers, etc,” he said.
Informing that the headman of Madanrting has clarified that the refuge taken by the tribals in the area is without the knowledge of the Dorbar Shnong, Chyne said that it was also learnt that at present there are over 32 tribals still living at a relief camp in Madanrting while there are perhaps hundreds of others who have slipped under the radar.
“We don’t know about the rest of the tribals, which is a matter of concern because it is obvious that they have taken refuge in various other parts of the city,” Chyne said.
During the meeting, many Dorbar Shnong representatives suggested that any relief camp provided to the refugees should be the responsibility of the state government, which should also provide an assurance that once Manipur returns to normalcy the refugees should go back to their state.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Member also expressed concern about other matters, such as how the Khasi community has been reduced to a tiny minority in the Mawbah neighbourhood of the city. In Mawbah, there are around 14,000 non-tribals and only 400 Khasis, he informed.
Informing that some of the Dorbar Shnongs have started the process of registering all tenants living in their localities, he said, “We have also decided to issue a notification to all Dorbar Shnongs that will be called the Maintenance of Household Register that will keep track of everything. We have also kept a condition that for the tenants, including shopkeepers from outside, the house owners will have to first inform and get the approval of the Dorbar Shnong before they give the place on rent to outsiders.”
It is the view of the KHADC that tribals from other states should not be able to claim permanent residential certificates from Meghalaya, he added.
The council also plans on issuing a notification to make it mandatory for two-thirds of the population of a neighbourhood to acquiesce before a no-objection certificate (NOC) for a trading licence can be issued to a non-tribal.
