Shillong: Prominent civil society groups in Garo Hills want the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to move faster on key reforms. A coalition of six organizations met with Chief Executive Member Dhormonath Sangma on Tuesday to demand immediate action on pending institutional changes.
The groups involved are the Association for Democracy and Empowerment, A’chik Holistic and Awakening Movement, A’chik Youth Welfare Organisation, Federation for A’chik Freedom, Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People, and the Garo Students’ Union. They praised the council for enacting service rules and launching an online portal for money matters. Now, they want more.
The coalition is pushing for a separate electoral roll limited to tribal members. They argue this is needed to protect indigenous traditions. The joint memo stated, "The fundamental objective of GHADC is to preserve our unique way of life, traditions, customs, and cultural heritage." A committee currently reviews the proposal, but the groups want the legislation passed quickly.
The coalition also demanded the formal codification of Garo Customary Law. They asked the council to start consultations with all stakeholders to reach a consensus. The groups insist these steps will secure the long-term future of the region.
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