Joint consultative meeting discusses legacy, legality of GBs

DIMAPUR — A joint consultative meeting of the Dimapur District GB Association, GB Union Dimapur (Sadar), Mokokchung District GB Association, Kohima District GB Association, Chümoukedima District GB Association and Wokha District GB Association, held on November 15, deliberated on the legacy and legality of gaon buras (GBs) as one of the oldest institutions in the context of Naga society.

A press release, jointly issued by the presidents of the six GB bodies, put forth the facts on how GB institution emerged and continued to exist as an entity.        

The GBs informed that the British administration introduced GB institution in 1886 under the Regulation Act of Assam Land and Revenue, when Nagaland was under the administration of Assam as a hill district.

“The main objective of GB establishment (institution) is to represent the citizens in the rural/urban and the government administration in the form of an entity to execute activities and assist as a medium of link between the people and the government machineries.

“This tradition is efficiently continuing with appropriate standard norms for the GBs as agents representing the grassroots people in the daily affairs of law and order in the urban/rural areas in collaboration with the district administration, law enforcing agencies and other government departments,” the release stated.   

After Nagaland attained statehood on December 1, 1963 along with a special constitutional provision rights for the Nagas under Article 371 (A), the GBs maintained that, apart from other special constitutional rights, the “Customary Laws and Practices” guaranteed in the clause are precisely under the usage of the GBs as custodians in Nagaland state. 

Apart from normal duties and responsibilities, GBs play a crucial role in times of critical law and order situations, notwithstanding their own safety, in the interest of peaceful atmosphere and more importantly in protecting people’s life, the release stated.

It went on to state that with the passage of time, every district has progressed and many district towns are presently functioning under urban local bodies (ULBs) system.

The GBs questioned whether this implies that the customary laws and practices are no longer relevant and applicable to those Nagas residing in towns, or whether the GB institution has become irrelevant and needed to be done away with just because of the terminology ‘Gaon Bura.’

“In this issue, the stand of GBs is that, since time immemorial, every Naga indigenous citizen of Nagaland state, be it in urban or rural areas, are part and partial of Naga culture, tradition and customary laws and practices which are inalienable identity of the Nagas,” the release stated.

In this context, the GBs insisted that no individual or group, on the pretext of modernisation, should try to alter the legacy or role of the GBs as custodians of Naga customary laws and practices or, in other words, Naga identity and history.        

Additionally, the GBs, in the press release, made it clear that only indigenous Naga GBs have the legitimacy to use the GB title and utilise Naga customary laws and practices under Article 371 (A).

“On the other hand, other non-Naga communities settled in urban areas having colonies may be given the designation Mukhiya or any appropriate designation by the government to represent their community/locality with proper guidelines/rules to be strictly adhered,” the GBs suggested.

Further, the GBs asserted that trying to negate or question the legitimacy of Naga customary laws and practices as non-applicable in any part of Nagaland, is tantamount to “total denial of Naga identity, ownership and existence.”

Roles and activities of urban GBs

• Urban GBs act as the main channel/agent of the district administration/law enforcing agencies and all other government departments in maintaining law and order and implementation of government orders/notifications/programmes.
• As per order from district administration, urban GBs maintain the household census and keep the records of the citizens.
• They assist the district administration and other department in identifying citizens by issuing residential proof of their present home address, basing on the household census record.
• If any unfavorable situation arises, they take the responsibility to control the situation from escalation and report the matter to higher authorities.
• Urban GBs assist the law enforcing agencies in detection of people indulging in anti-social activities in their respective jurisdictions.
• With proficiency, knowledge and experience of government rules, they act as a bridge between the government and the people at the grassroots level.