Editor
Apropos the article “Shutdown in Laitumkhrah on April 9” (ST April 8, 2013), I would like to inform you that the shop keepers of Laitumkhrah were threatened yet again on April 8, but this time by the Rangbah Shnong Mr Gordon Bruce Sawkmie who went from shop to shop personally telling traders that they must keep their shops open or face the consequences. This, despite the news item in Shillong Times and a public announcement over PA system in Laitumkhrah asking shops to close on 9th April as a mark of protest against the events of 4th April. The traders of Laitumkhrah are confused and scared and do not know what to do. Does the Rangbah Shnong have the authority to force traders to open shops against their will like this? This seems to be a deliberate attempt to scuttle a valid protest. Mr Gordon seems to be acting as an agent of KSU and his actions are questionable under law. I request Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and the District Administration to provide clarity and protect the traders of Laitumkhrah from both KSU and the wrath of the Rangbah Shnong.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Indians no outsiders in Shillong
Editor,
I have been going through the news articles and the feedback given by the locals and the concerned citizens. It really pains me when a person from Bangalore wrote ‘Shame on you.’ Seriously it’s shame on me as I was born here (by accident). I always question my grandma who has just completed 95 years as to why her parents came to this place where till date we are treated as an outsider. We have been adjusting and compromising with the system here. But as a citizen of India I have the right to raise my voice because if I do not then it is an insult to the education and the knowledge I have. I am not here to blame any community. Everybody has the right to protect their own land and culture. But for God’s sake accept those human beings who have spent generations here and also have contributed to the development of the state. I used to take pride in being a Shillongite but now I feel disgraced by this word.
Yours etc.,
Rajani Rai
Shillong
Identity crisis or what?
Editor
This is regarding the recent violence that occurred in the vicinity of our capital. How it happened is still a question that is left unanswered. It saddens most of the populace in the country when they learn of such cheap incidents. Many have condemned and many have aired their views over the issue time and again in your daily. Some have also put the entire blame on the administration. The home minister promised to bring the perpetrators to book but that can be possible only after inquiry by the authorities. The inquiry requires deposition by witnesses to the incident which is tricky because none would dare to show up and explain or even place a complaint about the incident. The government makes it sound serious by initiating an inquiry knowing that none would dare to come forward to the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office. The DC said that the route was violated twice but the police were also part of the procession. They probably weren’t aware if the route or its violation.
Now the boys who created the ruckus were in traditional attire. This sends a strong message of fear to all outside the state that we are a society that does the damage in public with no fear, whereas, within the state it clearly shows that the people belonging to the Khasi indigenous faith are on the rampage. Why I say so is because the rooster was pinned on the jacket that completes the attire that they were wearing. Now it’s complicated as to who is entitled to wear this attire? The Khasis as a community or the Khasis by religion? The presence of the rooster changes the whole scenario. If a Khasi puts it on it reflects his religious belief. The readers may please be cautious. What I am trying to say is that the authorities can simply look for the perpetrators by searching for those attires with the rooster on. They may either find hordes of them or none. In other words the elders and caretakers of the Khasi religion (Seng Khasi) may caution their followers not to allow misuse of the attire in any form in the name of tradition. Or the least they could have done was to condemn the incident.
Yours etc.,
S.Nongkynrih,
Via email
Dorbar Shnong, Laitumkhrah must get its act together
Editor,
The Dorbar Shnong of Laitumkhrah needs to get its act together. They cannot go around behaving in this whimsical manner by calling bandhs and then calling them off whenever they feel like it. Originally a bandh call was given to protest against KSU violence on April 9, 2013, but subsequently it was reported that Rangbah Shnong GM Bruce Sawkmie personally went from shop to shop telling people to keep their shops open on April 9, 2013. No explanation was given for this sudden reversal of decision. One would like to know from Mr Bruce Sawkmie how he intends to protect the traders of Laitumkhrah from future incidents when he doesn’t even allow them to protest peacefully. Is he acting within the law by taking away the democratic right to protest from people? We have seen that the presence of police personnel in Laitumkhrah is almost non-existent except for a few traffic cops. Even after the April 4 incident till date, there are hardly any security personnel deployed in Laitumkhrah for reasons best known to the administration. Sometimes a few CRPF jawans can be seen hanging around the taxi stand but that’s it as far as security is concerned. The Rangbah Shnong and members of the Dorbar were unable to prevent the KSU incident earlier. They were caught on the wrong foot and made a disappearing act on that fateful day leaving the traders at the mercy of the activists. It is hard to believe they will be able to do any better in future.
Yours etc,
C. Lyngdoh
Shillong -4