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TURA, July 1
The remote village of Khardang Songma, bordering the state of Assam suddenly became the centre of focus after 7 families of the total 96 households filed a complaint that they had been ostracized by the village council since 2005. The matter came to a head after a family member of the 7 ostracized passed away and the village council disallowed burying of the deceased.While the 7 ostracized families have stated that the ostracism was passed by villagers after they joined a different denomination of Christianity, the council stated that the violation of the rules of the village was the reason for the families being ostracized.
According to the ostracized families, the problem began in March 2005 when they wanted to hold a public prayer meeting for their new denomination. Allegedly, angry village members attacked the gathering with sticks, machetes and axes and tore down the pandal that was constructed. The village council however strongly objected to the allegation.
A case was filed by the ostracized families regarding the incident in the Mendipathar Police Station in North Garo Hills (NGH) after which the villagers called the 7 families to appear before them in a meeting. However the seven did not appear citing fear. Immediately after their non appearance, the villagers passed a resolution and decided to isolate the families involved. This happened in the year 2005 in March.
“We were not allowed to use products from the forest reserve within the village and were prohibited from burying our dead in the village graveyard. Whenever we tried to use products from the forests, the same would be seized. How were we to live when we can’t even bury our dead within our own village?” asked one of the ostracized victims.
The village sordar however denied most of the allegations that have been levied. “This has nothing to do with religion or their changing of denominations. If it was religious how come the president of the village council is a part of their denomination?” he asked.
He further explained that the problems began when the 7 families were playing loud music in the same religious pandal, which the villagers objected to. “We did go there but not with sticks or machetes and to ask them to lower the sound as there was a sick woman residing nearby. They however took offense and filed a case”, he added.
“We have not objected to their using of forest products from the reserve and they have been using them”, added the sordar though this has been strongly denied by the ostracized members.
He however stated that the decision to not allow the families to bury their dead was passed by the whole village as the families had not cooperated when asked. “They did not come to the meeting when asked and that led us to resolve to isolate them from the other villagers as punishment”, said the sordar.
The village council had set a fine of Rs 1000 on the families to rejoin the village along with an apology. However, the matter remained unresolved since.
This only came to the fore once again after the denial of burying rights for one of the dead family members of the seven that were ostracised.
A case was immediately registered with the Mendipathar Police Station around June 15 after which the police went to the village trying to find out what had happened. Further the villagers were asked to immediately settle the matter within 30 days and allow for the 7 seven families to live normally.
The village sordar has stated that they had decided to withdraw the clauses that were affecting the families and would provide details of the withdrawal to the police. “We are meeting this Friday and have decided to withdraw the clauses. However, our resolution was for punishment and had nothing to do with religion”, he stated.
