Editor,
Politicians are used to putting their foot in their mouth without any thought that someday their words would boomerang. The statements of the State Home Minister to use a surrendered outfit against another active one would lead to disastrous results even to a state of lawlessness which I would say are just part of political sycophancy and media bites. The state has not been able to properly rehabilitate those who had surrendered and talks of a strategy that raises serious questions on the morale of the state police and most importantly the effect upon society. In fact what example is the minister trying to show without giving heed to the advice of his officers in the police since they would know the ground realities. No wonder when the Assam government was busy bulldozing our state bordersin parts of Jaintia Hills, and if I am not mistaken the present home home minister made empty promises without seeing them implemented. Perhaps some sense of political maturity is needed to be shown at times by politicians.
From- Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong- 3
Shocking incident
Editor,
It was shocking to read about the gruesome incident that took place in St. John Bosco Secondary School Nongkroh-Rymbrai where a young girl died as result of being beaten by a teacher. If what your paper has reported is true then I feel the guilty should face the consequences irrespective of who she is or what her garb is. A young life has been taken by someone who is supposed to be more humane and Christ-like, and the very fact that she is a religious sister doesn’t mean that she should escape trial or arrest. People in general (including myself) have great respect for people of the church but not at the expense of life.
If Sister Philina Kholar is innocent, then where is she now? Doesn’t she have a conscience? What about the people in charge of that school and convent? Do they claim to be ignorant about her whereabouts? It is high time that people become objective and realise a crime as a crime irrespective of who has committed it. I understand that most of the people in the villages are dependent on “missionaries” for various needs and reasons. But this doesn’t mean that they should keep quiet when an injustice is done to one of them. People need to raise their voices against what is evil and destructive and what Sister Philina has done is definitely evil! And now that she doesn’t even have the decency to plead guilty, she has made it worse. I hope the people in authority in her congregation would take note of this, act accordingly and thus, prove to everybody else that they are still a group of religious women who still have a conscience. Justice for the family members of Charity Pariong is what is due!
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request