Five pressure groups in Garo Hills have demanded the release of six accused in the brutal assault of a woman in West Garo Hills stating it was a “corrective act” and a “common action” prevalent among the Garo tribe.
The groups have written to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) asking it to restrain the district administration from interfering into “personal affairs” of the members belonging to Garo tribe and powers exercised by the traditional authorities.
Meghalaya police have arrested the accused after a video went viral of them severely beating up a woman with bamboo sticks on the premises of a school Teksragre Village under Dadenggre area.
The Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People, Association for Democracy and Empowerment, Federation For A’chik Freedom, Garo Students Union and Achik Youth Welfare Organisation, claimed to have verified facts of the case.
“We were informed that the purported victim had been leading immoral life and this is the fourth time that the village Nokma had received a complaint from the offended family members of four different families. In the present case both the purported victim and her paramour, a married man had confessed to their illicit relationship. Having confessed to their guilt, the purported victim had even paid a ‘Dai’for so•mal i.e, penalty or fine for adultery according to Garo Tradition and Customary Law. Thereafter, the family members had taken steps to discipline their kin i.e, the purported victim by trashing her for bringing shame and dishonour to her own family repeatedly and also for causing mental pain and agony to the members of the offended families,” they said.
“The practice of disciplining ones family member in such a way is a corrective action as well as a means of deterrent to the offender from causing hardships to one’s own family as well as for causing emotional pain and hardships to other families. The action can rightly be construed and inferred as an example for others also. Such form of corrective act is a common action prevalent among the Garo Tribe and that is the right and prerogative of the Chras in case of relative female offender and Ma’drangs in case of a relative male offender and both depending on their choice. According to the customary practice of the Garos, it is the responsibility of the respective relatives both male and female members of the clan or both together as the case maybe, to discipline their kin for offences or for prevention or deterring from further commission of similar offences or repetition of same offences or, even deter physically to prevent commission of unacceptable wrongs,” the groups stated.
The pressure groups said that beatings can also be done by the immediate relatives of their choice as deemed fit according to the gravity of offence committed. “Such corrective action is the sole prerogative of family members and the clan, and most often, done as a last resort when all counselling and efforts to persuade to reform the erring family member fails. It is an act of love and care for their siblings or kin. The reason is also to warn or remind an erring member of the family that if offenses are serious and repeated, the offended parties may resort to violence or actions which will endanger the limb and life of such relative, or, bring ruin to one and all or bring shame and dishonour to one’s family and loss to relatives.”
The groups said the Achik do not allow others to take laws into their own hands against their kin but only the family members or relatives or clan has the right to take punitive measures. “This exclusive right of primacy to punish their own kin for their guilt is an inalienable right belonging to the Garo families till today and is not a subject that could be interfered even by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council or a State,” they claimed.
They further stated that the action of the district administration is uncalled for and a direct infringement upon the right of the Achik family and clans and demanded that the GHADC, as the protector of the traditions and culture and customary laws and practices of the Garo tribe, should not allow infringement of natural rights and exclusive power of Achik families.
While demanding immediate release of the arrested persons the groups also sought compensation for them “for curtailing the liberty and dishonour to the natural and customary rights of the detainees” the groups said, that the state authorities should intimate the Nokma or the Sorder or Gaonbura before arresting any accused from the village.
