Editor,
Life has come to a standstill in the whole of Garo Hills, thanks to the 120 hour bandh called by the terrorist outfit GNLA. These people have neither head nor heart. This has brought untold suffering to the people, particularly the daily wage workers. How can we imagine a day and night shut down of 5 days! The bandh has no justification whatsoever.
We the general public seem to support these hard core rascals and criminals. Where are the church leaders, the intellectuals, the educators, the NGOs and more importantly the politicians? Not a single protest and dissent. Are we in the Stone Age or Dark Age? Are we in the age of ‘Might is Right’? Did we have a one week bandh during those ages?
The only group that is against the activities of the GNLA is the ANVC. The latter, however, cannot absolve themselves by opposing the former. The ANVC is the prime actor in the history of militancy in Garo Hills. Now one faction has already gone back to the jungles under the leadership of the rebel, Bernard. Therefore, this group too cannot be trusted.
It is true we are scared. But are we going to be ruled by fear in this 21st Century? Will we allow ourselves to be ruled by 300 odd gun wielding, uneducated school dropped goons? We have to decide. Even if we fear for our lives, at least let us write letters to the editor to vent our anger. Let the younger generation use Twitter, Facebook and other social networking facilities! Many notorious regimes in the Arab World have been and will be overthrown by social media.
The situation is alarming. Unless we do something about it we are going to regress rather than progress.
Yours etc.,
Sengchang U Sangma
Tura
Garo Hills bandh, who suffers?
Editor,
The on going Garo Hills bandh for a week is totally unreasonable. The State police have made it clear that the counter-insurgency operations against Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) will be intensified further. But the people of Garo Hills are suffering on account of the bandh and there is not a word from our rulers. The assertion has come at a time when the outfit called a 144-hour Garo Hills bandh, which began on Monday, demanding withdrawal of forces engaged in the counter-insurgency operations. It is learnt that a little girl died in Tura Hospital and her body was also cremated in hospital crematorium since they cannot take the dead body to their village on account of the bandh. Everybody is suffering but no one dares to raise their voice against the bandh. There are many NGOs and other organisations in Garo Hills but all are silent. So too the 24 MLAs we have elected! What will happen to those living from hand to mouth? Will they not die of starvation? So will anyone take up this issue? Why are we so afraid of the Yours etc.,
Leoberth R Sangma,
Shillong Law College
A·chik Hills’ are now a desert !
Editor,
The Garo Hills bandh that started on April 30th will kill all of us but especially the poor. We will all die of starvation. I come from a poor family without any source of income and I am concerned about my grandparents who are also without regular work. Who will help us?
Yours etc.,
Mighty Herald Momin,
Williamnagar
Who will rescue Garo Hills?
Editor,
Through this note, I appeal to the leadership of the GNLA to call off the 120 hours bandh at the earliest. I request them to take note of the hardships that this bandh is causing to daily wage earners and their families. Many of our brothers and sisters in Garo Hills still live from hand to mouth. Such long bandhs means fasting for many days.
This is the season of sickness. The great difficulty that the sick face in getting medical attention either in Tura or Williamnagar or Baghmara and more especially in Shillong or in Guwahati is severely affected by this lengthy and intimidating bandh. In the educational scenario, every year, the performance of the students from Garo Hills has not been up to the mark. In fact, it is getting from bad to worse. This kind of long breaks from school and colleges will aggravate their poor performance and negatively affect their future. Together with the above appeals, I wish to ask all the GNLA cadres to seek democratic and peaceful means to address their grievances to the Government and stop all extortion, robbery, abductions and killings. Some have been killed on mere suspicion as being police informers and the families of those who surrendered have also suffered great trauma. The prices of essential commodities in Tura and the rest of Garo Hills are soaring because of the illegal tax that the business men have to pay. Who will help us out of this pathetic situation?
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request