Took stock of difficulties faced by Garos in the state
Dimapur, April 7 (MExN): To chalk-out solution pertaining to ‘difficulties and problems’ afflicting Garo people in the State, three officials from Garo Students’ Union Central Executive Committee (CEC), Tura Meghalaya recently visited Nagaland and interacted with various section of people and organizations. Informing this in a press note, the Garo Students’ Union, Nagaland Zone (GSUNZ) President Cliff D Sangma said the officials lead by CEC President, Tengsak G Momin; General Secretary John Miltu A Sangma; and Additional General Secretary Balrang Ch. Momin started their tour with a public meeting at Erabill Village on April 3. Goan Buras, Village Council Members and Village elders attended the meeting. During their interaction, the Garos expressed the problems experienced by them over the decades. Accompanied by GSUNZ President and Nagaland Garo Tribal Council President, the CEC team met the Kilo (Home) Kilonser of NSCN (IM) Rh. Raishing and MIP Kilonser, Horam on April 4. GSUNZ press note informed that during the meeting, the team requested the NSCN (IM) leader to accommodate the Garo Tribe of Nagaland along with the other recognised tribes of Nagaland after the “final settlement” of Indo-Naga peace process as the “Garo Tribe of Nagaland is also an aboriginal tribe of the State and recognised by the State Government of Nagaland.” The team also requested the Kilo Kilonser to intervene and take up the “intriguing issue of land dispute” problem faced by one Garo Family of Erabill and give “fair justice to victim’s family with utmost seriousness and fraternal gesture,” it added. In the final leg of their visit, the teams on April 5 along with members of other Garo organisations from Nagaland meet the Naga Hoho President P Chuba Ozukum and Secretary (Administration) Chitho Nyusou at Hotel Japfü. The delegation requested the Naga Hoho leaders to address the problem faced by indigenous Garo people of Nagaland since many decades. “We appealed the Naga Hoho leaders to look upon the Garos of Nagaland as one of their own brothers among other recognised tribes of Nagaland,” GSUNZ added. The CEC team told the leaders that the Garos of Nagaland have been marginalised into monitory tribe in Nagaland in recent times and still reeling in the state of “backwardness” – educationally, economically, socially and politically.