Staff Reporter
YINGKIONG, 20 Aug: Strongly objecting to the 15 August order issued by the office of the Upper Siang deputy commissioner regarding the visit and finalisation of site for the construction of a guesthouse and a prayer centre for the Chime Yang Sang Society in Eko Dumbing, the Simong Community Youth Association (SCYA) organised a peaceful rally and dharna here on Thursday.
On the same day, the Himong Community Youth Association (HCYA) submitted a letter to the DC, vehemently opposing his move.
In the letter, the association stated that the DC’s order to visit and finalise a site “without actually addressing the core issue, is totally biased and uncalled for.”
“The minutes of the meeting issued by the CM’s office, bearing Memo No CM (ARUN)-15/2021-22, dated 11 March, 2022, with regard to the meeting dated 07/01/2022 was objected to and rejected by the Himong Community Youth Association and the Eko Dumbing Forest Development Society of Simong through its letter dated 14 April, 2022. The said meeting minutes were objected to as the meeting was stalled by the president of Chime Yang Sang Society, Michung Khampa and
no consensus was reached during the meeting. But a minute of a meeting was issued later on after a gap of two months that contained decisions that were not at all discussed and decided during the meeting. Hence, it was unacceptable and rejected. The same minutes were also rejected by the All Pemakod Youth Association though their letter dated 23/06/2022. The minutes of the meeting dated 04/08/2022 were signed by the Simong community only because the Memba-Khamba community agreed that they have no issue with the claim of land at Eko Dumbing (Riutala) area of Simong community. This point was also included in Sl No 4 of the decision. But the very next day secretary of Chime Yangsang Society, Tsewang Dorjee, who actually signed the minutes of the meeting, violated the meeting’s decision by claiming Eko Dumbing as their land in his affidavit filed in the court of judicial magistrate first class while applying for bail. The 3rd paragraph of Page No 3 of the affidavit read as: ‘The members of the Khamba and Memba communities of Pemakod area are the actual and lawful owners of the disputed land in question – Riwotala area – which is a community land which they inherited from their ancestors and are in lawful and actual possession of the same. It is very much clear from the above para that they are still claiming the land. Since the secretary of Chime Yang Sang Society, who is also a signatory to the meeting dated 4 August 2022, violated the decision passed in the meeting, the whole Simong community also rejects the decision taken during the meeting,” it said.
Terming the order “unfair and unacceptable to the people of Simong community,” the association demanded immediate recall of the same.
It further sought immediate eviction of the illegal structures erected by the Memba-Khamba community from Eko Dumbing, adding that it is “firmly opposed to erecting of any kind of structure, tourist or pilgrimage activities at Eko Dumbing until and unless the claim by Chime Yangsang Pemakod Society/Memba Khamba community is withdrawn in writing and a permanent solution on the issue is reached.”
