Memorandum submitted by ANVC

Memorandum submitted by ANVC to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpai Brief History of Garos: If you concentrate on the history of the Garos then you will find that the Garos are the descendant of great Mongolian tribes, who are inhabitants of the North East India at present. Before the existence of India, the Garos came from the central part of Tibet and settled down on the valleys of Brahamaputra River for the numbers of years and finally shifted to the hills area, which is known as ‘Garo Hills or Garo Land’. But it is to be noted that not all the Garos did migrated to the Hills, many of them remained on the plain areas of the Brahamaputra valley, while some of them shifted and settled down in different parts of Assam and in the North East India and most of the North Eastern part of India inhabited by Garos. Due to the lack of education and literacy, Garos could not keep their written records of their own. But their traditional songs and incantation handed down from generation to generation-through verbal narration from the main bulk of their history of origin and migration. Our Garos traditional history narrates the great famine of Tibet for which Garos were compelled to shift from Tibet and occupied historic places as Cooch Bihar, Dhubri, Juggigopa, Garomari, and Kamakhya etc. They finally settled down at Habraghat Perganah at present known as Goalpara district. There with Abrasen a Garo king reigned there. But however, they cropped up among the Garos and split into different branches moved to various places of North East India. Abong-Noga, the Garo chief with his beloved wife Silme-Do’ka moved over to the Nokrek hills and settled down there permanently which is later on formed into the ‘Garo Hills or Garo Land’. According to the accounts of some historian Rangpur was under the Hindu kings and which is known as ‘Kamapit or Kamrupa’. The kingdom of four divisions as Ratnapit, Kamapit, Sawarnapit and Sanmarpit was known as ‘Pragjyatisha’. The kingdom was extended towards west up to the river Karatoya. The capital was on the east; later on it was shifted to the place known as ‘Rangpur’ in the time of king Bhagadatta. These entire kingdoms were under the hands of aboriginal people as Cooch, Kacharies and the Garos. They reigned up to 15th century among them Prithu king was the last ruler with the capital at ‘Bhitagarth’ which is now known as Jalpaiguri. After the year of 1498, this kingdom was annexed under the control of Mohammedan. But the Mohammedan king could not bring aboriginal people and their ruler under their control completely. Many historical evidences proofs that the Garos established themselves in Cooch Bihar and reign there for about four hundred years with prosperity till they moved up to the right bank of Brahmaputra river and occupied the places here and there after crossing the great Brahamaputra. Thus the first occupied lands of Garos were the vast tracts of land between the Brahamaputra River and the present day of Garo Hills. As mentioned in the pre-Moghul days the areas, which were lying between Brahamaputra, Khasi and Garo Hills belonged to the Garo rulers and their own independent chiefs. But in 1655, Lieutenant Mir Jumla invaded Assam and the Mughul Empire absorbed some portions of the plain. It is mentioned that during that time five or six Garo king were ruling after the Garo prince “Abrasen” in the Garo kingdom. And the last of them said to be ruled up to the end of 18th century at Habraghat Kingdom. In 1765 British East India Company started the revenue administration over Rangpur in Bengal. During that time it was known as – “Frontier tract” British empowered Zaminder to collect land revenue and settlement and certain cases in connection with land disputer. In 1822 all the plain left bank of Brahmaputra were included which is Goalpara district but Habraghat plain area were not included under the control of Zaminder instate it was inhabited by the Garos. In Assam, Habraghat, Perganah, Mechpara, Singimari, Putimari, Koraibari and Rohumari were all under the control of Garo Sarders and occupied the large part of Brahmaputra valley also. But Later on they were driven out from the plain into the Hills – which is Garo Hills according to early Hindus. The Zaminder with power and civilization, were far advance then the Garos. So, the Zaminder and their subordinator irritated the Garos and at the end of 18th century, the Garos inhabiting outer ranges were also brought under the authority of Zaminders, but the villagers in the interior hills were entirely independent. In the Moghul periods and even after the British acquisition of Assam, the Garos were led only by sarders or leaders picked up from amongst themselves, who were tributary only to the ruling power and were charged with the defense of the passer against the invading tribes of the interior, and the said Sarder transformed into zagiders on adjoining lands or Lakraj lands. In 1816, Mr. David Scott, British commissioner, found in his careful inquiry that the Zaminder by exaction and oppression irritated the Garos, which was considered as source of evil. The Zaminders allegation and oppression against Garos were entirely base less. So, Mr. David Scott ordered not to create any kinds of interference with the Garos and separated the Garos from the Zaminder control. According to the study of Garos in his book, “Tribal History of Eastern India” 1978. Page 58. He reported in 1846 that the territory belongs to the Garos lies between the 25º and 26º degrees of North latitude. To the North and West the Garos have the parganas of Habraghat Mechpara, Kalumalupara, Singimari, Putimari, Kutibari, Koraibari, Rohumari all of the Goalpara Districts lying between them and the Brahamaputra river. To the South Sherpur, Sribordi, Nalitabari, Haluaghat, Susong-Durgapur and Kalmakanda all are now under Bangladesh even today also more than a lakh of Garos living in those areas in Bangladesh. All of these parganas are still pestered by Garos today also. The Garos had a mass movement during Pre Moghul periods in 1899-1913 AD. With these belonging areas, which were lying between Brahmaputra and the Khasi, Garo Hills- ruled by their own chiefs and was populated by them. Francis Hamilton in his book, “An account of Assam”, stated that most of the tributary Rajas in the South side of Brahmaputra valley are of the Garo Origin. But in Moghul periods the powerful Zaminders occupied most of them with the Moghul and with the help of British arms force. The Garos, and the other hand looked upon this as a usurpation of their original and inalienable rights. This was the root cause of all the movements of Garos. Mr. David Scott, the first commissioner of British realized the basic causes of friction between Garos and Zaminder and granted rent free lands to the 21 Garo clans in 1831, which was a long the northern foothills of Garo Hills, (vide Govt. of India, Dept. of Revenue and Agriculture No. 358-507-2, in 1908). It was against the attempts of the Zaminders to recover those areas. The leadership of Late Sonaram R. Sangma organized the mass movement during 1899-1913. Several Memoranda were submitted to his Excellency, the viceroy and the governor-general of India. Later on the Govt. of India informed its decision in Mr. Carlyle’s letter No-358-507-2, dated 20th 03, 1908 addressed to the chief secretary to the Govt. of Eastern Bengal and Assam as follows: - Bijni Zaminder, Sir, Bamfylde fullers’ opinion was that the Garos has suffered a loss of sawed territory under British rule, but that if any injustice had been done, it was impossible to rectify. Despite this adverse verdict the Garos sought redress through the Calcutta High Court until the out break of the 2nd world war. Beside that the Garos formerly occupied much of the adjacent low country, and still retained same part as the subject of neighboring power, most of the Rajas tributary to Assam and the south side of the Brahamaputra being of the Garo tribe. On the British frontier the several large estates adjoining the Brahamaputra to the east have never any Govt. undergone a regular survey, nor have there internal, until very recently been the subject of official scrutiny. In the same way, during Moghul periods also, the Garos were living independently, but when adjacent Zaminder of Bengal with the assistance of British muskets invaded, the Garos could not resist against them with their bow, swords, and spears all were feeble resistance only. In 1775, the Choudries of Mechpara and Koraibari, under pretence of incursions made by the Garos, collected a considerably body of armed men and invaded the hills, where they were said to have continued two or three years of fighting in the unfavorable climate. They eventually however, succeeded in subduing several tribes and it is reported that on this occasion, the hill chief Rengtha first subject to the authority of Koraibari GARO HILLS Excluded and Partially excluded areas of Garo Hills in the northeast frontier of Assam. Garo Hills is the butt end of the range of hills included the valley of Brahamaputra and the Surma valley. And the Garos, who inhabit these hills, are the people of Burman origin and are similar to Kacharies. The district area is 3,152sq. Miles and the population is minimum – 2,33,569 of which are 1,98,474 of nearly 85% are tribal, mainly and majorities are Garos. The Garos in habited not only the Garo hills but there are some Garo villages in Kamrup and Goalpara districts of Assam also, which they inhabited from generation to generation before India came into existence. Even some portion of Bengal, which is at present Bangladesh those adjoining areas of Garo Hills are mainly occupied by Garo indigenous tribe. So, the Garos due to the climatic unfitness and economic, political instabilities, they settled in different places, when they migrated from central part of Tibet. But it is incanted in Garo tradition song and legend that the land and the properties were distributed among themselves according to the machong or clan. These traditions till today also existing in the Garo society. So to protect the same identity, custom and tradition the Garos keenly desirous to unite all the villages inhabited by them whether in Assam or in Bengal under the common administration. Specially, some portion of Assam as Goalpara and Kamrup districts. About one lakh of Garos most of whom are on the fringe of the Meghalaya, now the question of rectification and the demarcation of boundaries of Meghalaya including those areas are the Garos definite deserve should be considerable and subjected to. All the Garos in Kamrup and Goalpara districts of Assam have expressed their keen desire for rectification of districts boundaries to be under Meghalaya state. All those contiguous areas Garos are identical and should brought under common administration. We (The members of the sub committee) sympathize with their desire but find that its only outside of our term of reference but also that would necessitate an amount of examination which would make it impossible for us to submit our report to the advisory committee in time. The present boundaries have, we find, been in existence for many years and we feel that there is time for a separate commission set -up by the provincial Government to work on the problem involved. Regarding all these contents the Memorandum was submitted previously to the honorable Prime Minister of India by the Garo National Zonal Council of Action so, with the dawn of Independent India the Garos of Goalpara and Kamrup district of Assam who have been living in the area contiguous to the present state of Meghalaya made a fresh move to represent their case on the 16th May, 1947, before the constituent basis, so as include many Garo villages lying at its foot but the same Sub-Committee headed by Gopinath Bordoloi, then Premier of Assam, expressed its mobility to take up the question on the ground that if fell outside the terms of reference of the committee. The committee however, assured them that the question of re-adjustment of inter districts boundaries could be takes up at a later stage. In pursuance of their assurance and having realized the need to re-annexed the inter districts boundaries of Assam, the Bordoloi Committee had recommended and caused the incorporation of clauses (a) (d) and (g) Sub-Para (3) of the sixth schedule to the constitution of India. Under these clauses the Governor of Assam had been empowered either to include any area in part A of the Table appended to the sixth schedule or to increase the area of any autonomous districts or to define the boundaries of any autonomous districts respectively. So, with this constitutional provision the Garos of Goalpara and Kamrup districts of Assam submitted a representation to the Government of Assam and the Governor on the 15th January 1950, for re-adjustment of the Northern boundaries of the Garo Hills autonomous districts. Then the Governor of Assam informed that, “The question of the readjustment of the boundaries of the Garo Hills districts vis-à-vis, those of the Goalpara and Kamrup have been carefully examined but his excellency, regrets that its not opportune of effect any change in the district boundaries at present. Vide no- TAD/GENL/-5/50. Dated Shillong, The 7th March 1950). Despite of this unfavorable reply, they have again submitted memorandum to the Governor of Assam and to the Prime Minister of India on 31st January, 1956 for (i) inclusion of autonomous Garo Hills district and to include contiguous plain area of Garo Hills, which are predominantly in habited by the Garos, (ii) And for the recognition of the Garos living in plain districts of Assam and a member of schedule tribe. In response to this, the Government of India, Ministry of House Affairs, in their letter No-5/16/56-BC dated the 5th April 1056, replied that “The adjustment of boundaries of the Garo Hills is the concerned of the state Government of Assam.” There after, several memorandums have been submitted to the Govt. of Assam to the Govt. of India and to the various central committees of India, for the solution of the above mention demands. Beside these separate representation, the Garos of Kamrup and Goalpara districts of Assam, had all along joined hands together with the all party hills leaders conference (APHLC) in the movement for a separate hills state for about eleven years, with a hope that their areas would also be included in the new state. And according the (APHLC) had constantly demanded for a separate Hills state, comprising the contiguous area, predominantly inhabited by the Garos. Such a genuine demands had been constantly made in the resolutions of all their conferences. And then the honorable Prime Minister of India, Smti. Indira Gandhi under the Act Known as –“North Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act. 1971.” Created the Meghalaya State. But the genuine old aged demands of Garos living in the Kamrup and Goalpara district of Assam was left out again. In despite of all these, cold attitude towards the demands of the Garos of Kamrup and Goalpara districts, they continued their demand and they send three member delegation to New Delhi in the month of December-1972 and met Shri. K.C. Pant, then the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Govt. of India and several other M. Ps. Again two member delegation were sent to New Delhi in the month of April, 1974, and met Shri-Uma Shanker Dikshit, then Home Minister of India, Shri Ram Niwas Mirda, Minister of State for Home Affairs and several other M. Ps. Our case was placed before the Lokh Sabha on the 17th April, 1974 and then Home Minister assured on the floor of the house that and inquiry will be sent to look into the matter. But, it’s regrettable to note that in spite of our repeated reminders no such inquiry has ever been sent. However, three members delegation met the joint committee on the schedule caste and scheduled tribes order (Amendment) Bill 1978, at Shillong on 19th June 1979, for conclusion of all the Garos living in the State of Assam in the List of scheduled tribes, irrespective of their place of birth or residence. But it is a matter of disappointment; no action has so far been taken on this matter till today despite of the negation response received from central, and demand aspiration in the past, again we are being compelled to place our long-standing demand before you for solution through peace process. Hill State movement and Creation of Meghalaya: After the independence of India, there was a hue and cry raised from every nook and corner of India for reorganization of state on linguistic basis which was also one of the cherished goals of Indian National Movement. Accordingly, the State Commission (SRC) was appointed by a resolution of the Ministry of Home, on 29th December 1953 with Sayyid Fazal Ali as its Chairmen. The Commission issued a press note on 22nd February 1954, inviting written memorandum from members of the public and private association interested in the problem of reorganization of State along with the statement that, “The language and culture of an area have undoubted importance as they represent a pattern of living which is common in that area”. The statement offers a good and a strong ground for the Garos living in the Goalpara and Kamrup district of Assam, who had all along been anxious of merging their areas with the Garos Hills district. Meanwhile the Assam Govt. stubbornly introduces the Assam official language Bill in 1960 to make Assamese as an official language. This has created an opportunity for the hill tribes to intensify their movement for hill state and an organization known as the “All Party Hills Leaders Conference”.(APHLC) was formed to strengthen their demands ultimately under its able guidance, the new state of Meghalaya came into existence as a full fledged state on 21st January 1972. As regards the creation of the Meghalaya State, we can not presume that the Govt. has done well satisfying the full needs and aspirations of the Garo people, who were looking for and were being aspired to be the one nation under single administrative up. One of the greatest blunders that we can cite is the bifurcation of the same linguistic, culture and ethnically single community into many perplexing sections, having no regard to our cultural and linguistic affinities. The Independent India brought us nothing but only a many sided bifurcation of our tribe and community making us to remain in a state of “Divide and Rule” , we have been divided into Garos of Garo Hills and Khasi Hills within the Meghalaya State itself; the Garos of Assam and Meghalaya in the national level; the Garos of India and Bangladesh in the international level; even though we possess a geographical compact area. What sort of geographical compact area is being needed by the Govt. of India for better and convenient administration? What sorts of linguistic and culture affinity are being asked from the Garos? These divisions are really the visible signs of the so-called “Divide and Rule Policy”. After all the Garos is still the victim of its harsh policy. In spite of the harsh treatment meted out to the Garo living in Assam, the Garos want to live in Assam provided they be included in the Scheduled Tribe List, but such request through constitutionally were found to be outmoded and unacceptable to both the Assam and to the India Government. Hence, the Garos left with on other alternative way than to take up arms to fight for their own existence and rights or to die. “We fight for our right”, So, with the bitterness we the Garos state, “It is far better for us to fight and die than to live like an animals”. Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council: The Rabha’s has their autonomous council, Bill passed in 1995 by the Assam Govt. Where as the Garos, the genuine inhabitance of Goalpara and Kamrup districts are being straggling to include in the Schedule Tribe List and to adjoin with Garo Hills from the time of Indians Independence, where as Rabha’s Autonomous movement started in 1993and got Autonomous Council in 1995. But now the area which Garos wanted to adjoin with Meghalaya those areas are already being given to the Rabha. It gives us the clear symbols of negligence and partiality towards the Garos living in two districts. To state the fact that the Assam Govt. has played the diplomatic political role with the innocent Garo tribe to create a rift or communal clash between the Garos and the Rabha. This are unconcerned attitude of the Assam Government towards the Garos and the Government is also searching every possible ways to eradicates and eliminate the tribe totally from their existence in Assam. The formation of (ANVC): So, now with the statement of the Garos as mentioned above “fight for the right” and “it is better for us to fight and die than to live like an animal”. With these slogans the ANVC has formed by the intellectual and a capable leaders to met the numerous problems, which the Garos have been facing from the time of their existence. After the failure of our forefather and ancestors the new generation has came up and formed this A’chik National Volunteers’ Council in 20th December 1995 with the view to liberate and console the ever suffering our dear A’chiks, the downtrodden, brokenhearted and frustrated Garos, who had been the victims of dreadful and draconian black laws of the land. OUR DEMANDS: - Our immediate demands is to create a separate Garoland autonomous State by the way of re-amending the North Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act. 1971. As the union Parliament has been empowered under Articles 3 of the India Constitution to: - (a) Form a new state by separation of territory from any state or by uniting two or more states or parts of state or by uniting any territory to a part of any state; (b) Increase the area of any state; (c) Diminish the area of any state; (d) Alter the boundaries of any state; (e) Alter the name of any state; Therefore, this Council in particular and the Garos in general, strongly move for the creation of a separate Garoland State comprising of the following areas:- (a) The existing Garo Hills Autonomous districts of East, West and South Garo Hills districts; (b) Garo inhabited areas of Khasi Hills, lying contiguous to Garo Hills; (c) The Garo inhabited areas of Goalpara and South Kamrup district of Assam lying contiguous to Garo Hills. 12. Basic Arguments in support of our Demand (a) Firstly the Garos living in the West Khasi Hills District, bordering the Garo Hills and in the districts of Goalpara and South Kamrup of Assam have the same linguistic and cultural affinity with those Garos living in Garo Hills. Besides, they belong to the same stock of race that may undoubtedly be convenient for better administration. (b) The standard of living of the people of these areas in respect of political, economic, social, education etc. is almost same. (c) The proposed area of the Garoland Autonomous State has abundant natural resources, which will be the main sources of State’s income for administrative expenses. (d) The proposed area of the State has a great potential for the various industrial setups, which will also serve as the main bases of State’s economy and nation as a whole. (e) The proposed State covers extensive tracts of land including in it, the various hills, valleys, plain areas etc; with numerous rivers flowing through different direction. (f) Crisis of Identity: - The Garos are in the grip of cultural and identity crisis losing every of their ethnic identity and socio-cultural traits. Experience shows that in the composite state of Meghalaya, there is hardly any possibility for the protection and cultural advancement of the Garos for having multi cultural and ethnic tribal group. (g) Nationality Issue: - It could be seen that different tribal of THE NORTH EAST, have launched various political movements for the creation of their respective states. These are nothing but a movement for national identity. Thus we see the Mizos have got Mizoram, Nagas have got Nagaland, which clearly shows that the movements have definitely been effected for the preservation of their cultural heritage and maintenance of their national identity. Indeed preservation of ethnic identities is only possible when a tribe has its own for the preservation of its own national identity. The present state of Meghalaya is not specifically meant for the Garos. Neither the nomenclature “Meghalaya” has any significance for the Garos nor it carries any meaning or identity for them. The Garos therefore must have a separate state with a significant nomenclature of its own. (h) Political Self Determination The Garos as one of the indigenous tribes of the North East India must be given to enjoy the internationally accepted principle of right to political self-determination. As such, the Garo must have a distinct state of its own within the India dominion for shaping their own destiny in respects of political, social, cultural and educational life. (i) For peace and progress The life of every tribe or society is dynamic capable of changing through different stages of its life. The Garos are also a peace loving people who want to live in peace through progressive efforts. This possible only when the people themselves are satisfied; when there is harmony and co-operation amongst them. The Garos have a strong desire to maintain and preserve peace and tranquility in the society. The recent killings, shootings, extortions and other such anti social activities are nothing but ramifications of the State’s corruptions and bribery. In the above stated facts and circumstances, the undersigned representative members crave with our full hearts for the creation of a separate Garoland State within the framework of the Indian Constitution. We hope that the grievances stated above have enough to disclose our ever suffering genuine problems and to wipe out those problem, lie only in the creation of a Separate Garoland State for the Garos, perhaps our crying needs of the day will be in your heart and be considered sympathetically, taking into account all the problems faced recently or in the past. The undersigned member of the Council as in duty bound shall ever be grateful to you and to the government of India in upholding India’s unity and integrity. MITELA Honorable submitted for and on behalf of A’chik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) Hqrs: Cheram.

(Posted by guest: Susime Marak) posted to Garo Hills District. at Mon Oct 27 15:34:43 EST 2003.