Shillong, Mar 30: The Constitutional Rights Forum (CRF) suggested the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) implement strategic measures to restore security and uphold the rights of the indigenous population in the region.
In a memorandum to the GHADC EM Cherak W. Momin in-charge of Inter-State Boundary Dispute Matters, the CRF suggested an immediate land survey in Chibinang to differentiate between legal residents and unauthorized settlers.
According to the forum, there are alarming changes in the demographic landscape of the Chibinang region as territorial integrity of the indigenous Garo, Hajong, and Maan people is threatened.
Stating that historical displacement of land originally occupied by the Garo people has led to significant demographic shift, it said this began with informal settlement permissions that evolved into severe territorial loss for the indigenous communities. The influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Assam poses a direct threat to the ancestral heritage of this area, displacing original inhabitants, the CRF added.
The CRF suggested dialogues with relevant government ministries to secure land for necessary security infrastructure, such as a military base or educational institutions and a phased eviction of illegal immigrants to reclaim displaced territories.
