At 76 and 66, they refuse to relent

Two elderly women appeal to younger generation to join movement as JAC demonstration continues

SHILLONG, Nov 14: At 76 and 66, two elderly women have emerged as the determined faces of the agitation against the proposed Shillong Ropeway Project, refusing to leave the protest site despite physical discomfort and the government’s continued silence on their demands.
Sakhida Sawkmie, 76, and Mariam Dohtdong, 66, have vowed to remain at the forefront of the Joint Action Committee’s (JAC) indefinite sit-in near the life-size statue of U Kiang Nangbah, opposite Civil Hospital, until the government either scraps the project or relocates it from Lum Shyllong.
As the agitation continued on Saturday, the two women said their determination remained unshaken, insisting that their struggle was not for personal gain but for the future of the younger generation.
Appealing to young people to join the movement, Sawkmie said the protest was aimed at safeguarding the interests of their children and grandchildren. Despite her age and physical discomfort, she said she was prepared to remain at the protest site for years, if necessary, until the government reconsidered the project. “We will eventually leave this world, but we are standing against the ropeway for the future of our children and grandchildren,” she said.
Sawkmie also expressed concern over the lack of employment opportunities for local youths, pointing out that many were compelled to take up even menial jobs, including road sweeping, to make ends meet. Dohtdong, meanwhile, said the government’s failure to respond to the agitation had only strengthened the protesters’ resolve. She appealed to parents, women and young people to extend their support to the movement, making it clear that the protesters would not retreat until their demands were addressed.
Clarifying the JAC’s position, she said the protesters were not opposed to development but wanted the government to shift the proposed ropeway project to another location. The presence of the two elderly women has become a visible symbol of the determination driving the agitation, with citizens, social organisations and taxi associations continuing to visit the protest site and express solidarity with the JAC.
Both women reiterated their appeal for greater public participation, urging the younger generation to stand up for what they described as the interests of future generations.