Indigenous people under threat

THE news of the Kahsi people in Srimangal coming under attack by some Bengali land grabbers must be bad enough to have featured in the paper for two consecutive days. The indigenous community was set upon by a group of Bengalis under the provocation of a local tea garden manager to evict the Khasi families from what they claim to be land belonging to the tea garden. Reportedly, the Khasis have been enjoying that piece of land being the lessee and paying the taxes due to the government.
Deplorably, the Kahsi community have had their daily life disrupted and are having to post vigil at night to protect their homes and prevent further attacks. And if a community has to fend for themselves to ensure their security, and where even school going children have to pick up sticks for their protection, one would like to ask, where is the local administration, where is the law enforcing agency?  
The land claimed by the tea garden is khas land and therefore the claim of the tea garden management is spurious. Reportedly, they have been eyeing the land for a long time and their efforts through the legal process had also failed in the past.
What we saw happen in Srimangal happens off and on in many parts of the country, the indigenous community falling victim of the local heavyweights and goons. We would hope the police and the district administration would ensure safety of the indigenous community and come down heavily on those that have taken up law in their hands.