Tura, April 7: The Garo Students Union today congratulated the outgoing executive committee of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, led by the National Peoples' Party and the Garo National Council, for enacting the codification of the Garo Customary Law Bill, 2009.

It said the codification of the Garo customary law was for the greater benefit of the Garos and demographic integrity of the Garo hills. The GSU wants the bill to be immediately accepted as a valid customary law.

In a release issued here, GSU president Tengsak Momin said, "The codification of Garo customary law is a welcome step to possibly address the burgeoning demographic imbalance of Garo hills."

He said children born out of mixed marriages before the commencement of the act would remain Garos but it would effect future inter-marriages and their descendants.

Momin said the customary law lays down no specific rule against a Garo wishing to marry a non-tribal but their descendants will have to forgo their tribal status.

On opposition raised by the newly constituted All A'chik Citizen Forum, Momin said the argument that the bill would divide the Garos was "baseless".

"Who wants Garo hills to be another Tripura? Though this comparison has become old and repeated, it does alert a community to what can happen with unrestricted change in the demographic structure of the region," he said.

The GSU felt that if the situation remains as it is, Garo hills would become a powder keg, which will be divided on communal grounds.

"The customary law seeks to address the issue of preserving the identity of the Garos before Garo hills is swamped by outsiders and the ensuing consequences of drastic demographic change are irreparable," Momin added.

Commenting on the Land Transfer Act, he said it has helped the community in maintaining the Garos and tribal rights on land. The customary law has the potential to further strengthen the Land Transfer Act by removing the ability of indirect transfer of land to a non-tribal by way of marriage.

Momin said there have been many cases of non-tribals marrying a Garo girl for business and having left them stranded or torturing them.

"We support the right of the women to be treated as equals and their equal representation. We are apprehensive of the possibility a Garo women winning an election and the non-tribal husband interfering in tribal affairs," he added.

The union said the bill has not added any new laws, especially in the "crucial points of codification" but simply a codification of the ancient laws and customs.

Memo to governor

The All A'chik Citizens Forum (AACF) today sent a memorandum to Meghalaya governor Banwarilal Purohit against assent to the bill.

In its memorandum, the forum said the GHADC passed the bill without consulting the stakeholders (every Garo citizen, tribe, church and civil societies).

It said the bill was found to be "discriminatory" and in violation of the fundamental rights of its citizens.

Some primitive practices which are not acceptable in a civilised society, which should have been done away with and cannot be a law, are still being allowed in the bill, the forum said.

In its plea to the governor, it said the bill needs thorough examination and review as severe discrepancies and anomalies have been found.

The Mothers' Union also submitted a memorandum to the governor today, opposing the bill.