https://highlandpost.com/the-land-and-people-of-nongphyllut-doloiship/
Soon after Independence when our great country became a sovereign democratic republic, the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution was proposed to protect the interest of the tribal communities. It was then that a proposal was made for creation of the Mikir Hill District which is now Karbi-Anglong and North Cachar Hills by carving out a big slice of the northern and eastern areas of the Jaintia Hills. However, an objection was raised immediately by the people of the Labang-Nongphyllut of Nongphyllut Doloiship.
The Labang-Nongphyllut people under the leadership of U Salad Tamaha, Doloi of Nongphyllut at its meeting held at Umbasoo on January 27, 1948 passed a resolution addressed to the Sub-Divisional Officer, Jowai.
The resolution said, “We the people of Nongphyllut and Labang of Nongphyllut Dolloiship learnt with great sorrow the bad motive of the Mikirs to include us with them in their present fight to have their own Sub-Division. Being greatly grieved a meeting was held at Umbasoo on the 27th January, 1948. The meeting after a long discussion resolved unanimously that the Nongphylluts and Labangs are Pnars and their customs and beliefs are also different from those of the Mikirs, so we are deadly against the said move of the Mikirs and wish to remain within the Jaintia Sub-Division as they used to be.”
The resolution was signed by the Chairman, Salad Tamaha who is the Doloi Nongphyllut and Secretary Sip Sutong. A copy of the resolution was also forwarded to the Hon’ble Premier of Assam, Assam minister Rev. J J M Nichols Roy, the Chairman Mikir Hills Boundary Committee, Golaghat, the DC Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Shillong and the local MLA Larsing Khyriem, Jowai.
Further, the representation of the Jaintia Durbar of the Jowai Sub-Division (including the Pnars, Lalung, Nongtung, Khyrwang, Labang, Nongphyllut) in the matter of cutting off portion of the present Jowai Sub-Division and taking same to the proposed New Mikir Hills, submitted to the Hon’ble Premier of Assam Shillong during his visit to Jowai on the 4th September 1948 said, “The Jowai Sub-Division including the Labang-Nongphyllut ,Nongtung and Khyrwang areas in manner of cutting a portion of the Jowai Sub-Division and taking some to the proposed new Mikir Hills District will not be allowed because almost of the people living in these areas (Labang-Nongphyllut, Nongtung-Khyrwang) are Pnar people.
Public representations started on September 27, 1949. The objection was made from the representatives of Jaintia Durbar, Jaintia Hills (the then Jowai Sub-Division) including the Labang Nongphyllut. The resolution submitted to the Premier of Assam, Shillong is as follows:-
To,
The Sub-Divisional Officer, Jowai.
Sir,
We the people of Nongphyllut and Labang of Nongphyllut Doloiship learnt with great sorrow the bad move of the Mikirs to include us within their present fight to have their own Sub-Division.
Being greatly aggrieved, a meeting was held at Umbasoo on the 27th January, 1948. A meeting after a long discussion resolved that the Nongphylluts and Labangs and Pnars and their custom and beliefs are also different from those of the Mikirs, so they are deadly against the said move of the Mikirs and wish to remain within the Jaintia Sub-Division as they used to be.
Dated Umbasoo, 27/1/1948
Chairman: Sd/- Salad, Doloi Nongphyllut
Secretary: Sd/- Sip Sutong
Copy forwarded to:
- The Hon’ble Premier of Assam.
- The Rev. J J M Nichols Roy, Minister, Assam, Shillong.
- The Chairman, Mikir Hills Boundary Committee, Golaghat.
- The DC of K&J Hills, Shillong.
- The MLA of Jowai.
(ARTICLE TO BE CONTINUED)
