Tura, June 13: Opposition to a non-tribal MDC holding office in the tribal autonomous body GHADC is continuing to build up with a multitude of organisations, both student and social, joining the chorus seeking the removal of MDC Aktar Ali from the post of Chairman of GHADC’s Forest Advisory Committee.

On Sunday, scores of groups from Garo Hills, student organisations like the Tengsak Momin faction of the GSU, AYWO, FAF and FKJGP, as well as community based organisations like Garo Graduates’ Union, Tura Garo Senior Citizens Forum and the New Tura Development Forum, joined hands to oppose the appointment of the non-tribal MDC in the council position.

“All stakeholders’ including Church Leaders’, Civil Society groups and organizations have played a pivotal role in solving the intricate and sentimental issue to the extent that both parties can accept and we do hope that the present EC will solve the issue once and for all.

But we are very surprised to find the present EC is going against the sentiments of A’chik people by appointing Zikzak MDC Akhtar Ali as the Chairman of Forest Advisory Committee under the Forest Department of GHADC,” the organizations jointly mentioned in a public statement released on Sunday.

These organisations reminded the council authorities that time and again appointments of non-tribal MDC as functionaries in the Council were long opposed and the recent move contrary to tribal demands was nothing short of an insult to the rights of the indigenous people enshrined in the Constitution under the Sixth Schedule.

“The move is even more insulting as even their participation in its affairs violates the spirit of the Sixth Schedule which is meant to protect the interests of tribals,” stated the student groups and termed it as tantamount to undermining the ability of tribal MDCs to manage the department.

“The efficient management of the forest department can gauge a large chunk of revenue for the Council which in turn will help our institution in a better way. Thus we strongly feel that the appointment of other Indigenous MDCs to the post is more logical and we believe that the department can be run more efficiently by our tribal MDCs,” they stated in their protest letter.

The New Tura Development Forum (NTDF), Tura Garo Senior Citizens’ Forum (TGSCF) and the Garo Graduates’ Union (GGU) added that this appointment was made despite the fact that there were numerous and repeated resentments, protests and demands made on the relevant issues relating to the entry of non-tribals into GHADC administration, like barring them from participation and contesting GHADC elections by various groups of people across Garo Hills Districts only recently.

“People of Garo Hills were looking forward to the new Executive Committee (EC) with great expectations when it took over the GHADC affairs and showed their good gestures initially by involving the general public of Garo Hills for good governance of the institution.

However, the EC instead of strengthening the institution to safeguard the interest of the indigenous tribes of Garo Hills, chose to hurt the sentiments of the tribals by ignoring their expectations and aspirations with the appointment of a non-tribal as a Chairman of the institution,” said the NTDF, TGSCF and GGU.