SHILLONG: Voice of the People Party (VPP) chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit warned that rapid erosion of community land rights in Meghalaya amounts to “internal colonization” and poses a grave threat to the survival of indigenous tribal identity.
The Nongkrem legislator asserted that for the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities, land is not merely property or a tradable commodity but a “sacred inheritance” forming the core of identity, dignity, and grassroots sovereignty.
Basaiawmoit highlighted what he described as a “deeply worrying trend” in which traditional community lands—Ri Raid, Elaka, and Hima—are increasingly being fragmented and concentrated in the hands of a few influential individuals.
He argued that this dispossession often occurs under the banner of development and investment.
“If community land disappears, our constitutional autonomy becomes hollow,” he stated, referring to the protective framework under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which was designed to shield tribal lands from market-driven exploitation.
The VPP leader cited specific instances in Raid Tynsong, Raid Marwet, Daistong, and Lum Bangla, alleging that community lands are steadily shrinking due to political inaction and weak oversight.
He stressed that traditional Khasi philosophy dictates that no indigenous person should be landless — a principle now under strain.
Particular concern was raised over the adoption of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (ALRR), 1886 by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
According to Basaiawmoit, this has created a direct conflict between customary Akhing (clan-based landholding systems) and state-style individual pattas (land deeds).
Although the regulation was adapted through a 1953 district regulation, he alleged that wealthy coal operators and elites are acquiring community forests and land at minimal prices, leaving vulnerable groups increasingly landless.
To support his claims of administrative negligence, Basaiawmoit cited a recent RTI response from Tura. When asked who introduced the Assam Schedule for issuing pattas in GHADC areas, the official reply reportedly stated: “Records not available.”
He argued that this lack of documentation points to possible “connivance” among district councils, traditional authorities, and political leadership.
Warning that “history will judge us harshly” if corrective action is not taken, Basaiawmoit proposed a comprehensive strategy to safeguard tribal land — Statewide Audit of all community and customary lands, Digital Mapping of Raid, Hima, and Elaka territories, Transparent Land Registry linking State and Autonomous District Councils, Legal Accountability Measures to prevent misuse of customary authority and Mandatory Annual Report on tribal land protection before the Assembly.
“Development cannot come at the cost of dispossession. Progress cannot mean the erasure of identity,” he said.
