Shillong: The banned Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has condemned the state government’s efforts to downplay the potential dangers posed by the Invest Meghalaya Agency (IMA) land acquisition initiative.
The group rejected Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s remarks about the creation of land banks under the IMA, calling them misleading and a serious threat to the autonomy and territorial rights of the Hynñiewtrep people.
“The Chief Minister’s statement that the Land Transfer Act will remain intact is a calculated attempt to downplay concerns, while simultaneously creating loopholes that allow land exploitation,” said HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw in an email statement.
“The IMA’s mandate to directly purchase and manage land bypasses the very purpose of the Land Transfer Act, which was designed to protect indigenous lands from encroachment. Empowering a state agency to function as a land bank undermines traditional land management systems that have safeguarded our culture and identity for centuries.”
Nongtraw also criticised the chief minister’s assurance that the IMA would not bypass the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) or traditional heads, calling it deceptive.
“By centralising land-related decision-making within the IMA, the government diminishes the role of the very institutions established under the Sixth Schedule to protect tribal self-governance. This move sidelines the ADCs and traditional leaders, reducing them to mere bystanders in the exploitation of ancestral lands,” he added.
The HNLC leader expressed concern over the concept of land banks, describing it as an attempt to commodify land that has been communally owned and managed for generations.
“In our society, land is more than just a resource—it is the foundation of our identity and way of life. The creation of land banks threatens to sever this sacred connection by opening the door to displacement, environmental degradation, and the exploitation of our natural resources,” Nongtraw stated.
He further criticised attempts to compare the IMA’s mandate to other state corporations like the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).
“Unlike these entities, the IMA’s extraordinary power to consolidate and lease large tracts of land directly challenges the communal ownership systems that have protected our lands for centuries,” he argued.
Drawing on historical examples of similar policies that have harmed indigenous communities both in India and abroad, the HNLC warned that the so-called “development” promised by such initiatives often serves as a facade for the systematic disempowerment of indigenous peoples.
“Economic growth should not come at the cost of indigenous self-rule and traditional land stewardship,” the statement continued.
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“The Hynñiewtrep people have witnessed the hollow promises of development before, where outsiders and elites benefitted, while locals bore the burden. The proposed land banks are no different—they will enrich a few, while leaving our people landless and vulnerable.”
Finally, the HNLC rejected the chief minister’s assurances regarding the protection of indigenous interests, citing the lack of transparency and meaningful consultation with traditional institutions in the IMA’s plans.
“Decisions about land must be made with the consent of the people, not imposed by an agency working on behalf of external investors,” the group concluded.
