Editor,
Five policemen fell prey to militants in Garo Hills on Tuesday morning. Sad, extremely sad. My deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. May the souls of those who died rest in peace. Five policemen ambushed and killed by a militant group in Garo Hills! Who really cares? Does the government care? Do those in power care? Do the people care? No, the answer is NOBODY cares. The only ones who really care and feel the loss are parents, brothers, sisters, wives, children. Other than them no one cares or feels the loss at all. What a tragedy!
These police personnel lost their lives for doing their duty and obeying the orders of their superiors; not for any fault of their own. Why is our state police department always on the defensive while policemen become easy targets? How can they send five policemen in a Gypsy in the wee hours in a militant prone area after receiving retaliation threats from the militant group just a week ago? What can five constables do against two dozen militants? This is complete failure on the part of the police department. I deplore such immature, thoughtless decision which resulted in the death of all five police personnel.
The militants have acted intelligently and carried out a well-planned ambush on the police. This shows that the militant group is more strategic in their operation, have better informers, better intelligence wing than the police department.
At times five to ten police personnel are sent for counter-insurgency operations in the dense forests of Garo Hills. Are these handful of havildars, constables super heroes to fight against the massive, heavily armed militants operating in the forests? It is because NOBODY really cares whether these personnel come back alive or die in the operations. Back home the family members pray that they come back safely. We live in fear as we do not see any safety for the police personnel who are in the field to fight against the militants. May God be with them!
Yours etc.,
Olivia L Mawlong,
Via email
GNLA ambush!
Editor,
The killing of the five Meghalaya Policemen occurred less than 36 hours of the same rebel group gunning down
seven innocent villagers in the adjoining Goalpara district in Assam. These incidents happen frequently in Garo Hills and will continue to. The fact that Tura-Baghmara road is such a dense forest known as a haven of GNLA militants leaves one surprised as to why the police authorities sent just four policemen and a driver? Haven’t they learnt lessons from the past? During the last visit of Chief Minister, Dr. Mukul Sangma to Garo Hills, he was escorted by fifteen to twenty Gypsy vehicles on a much safer Shillong-Tura via Guwahati road. I also understand the difference in status between the Chief Minister and the slain policemen but is human life not equal as far as the Constitution of India is concerned. Are some people more equal than others? After all is it not a case of one person one vote? I don’t mean here to demoralise or condemn anybody but I just wish there was more respect for human lives in our State so that such occurrences are not repeated.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Via email
No respect for culture!
Editor,
I am most disappointed to learn that the Pro-ILP pressure groups have called for fresh night road blockade from 7-9th November 2013 when the biggest festival of the Garos – the 100 Drums Wangala Festival is being organized and the dates for the Festival had been set a year ahead. While the Pro-ILP groups from Garo Hills have called off the three night road blockade in Garo Hills, I still don’t understand why the organizers have picked those specific dates for the agitation programmes? To my mind, it is essential for us to celebrate our cultural festivals like the Wangala so as to create bonds of friendship and tolerance. I ask my Khasi brothers how would they feel if such agitations are held during their festivals? The Wangala Festival is also to honour our ancestors who gave us our culture and traditions. Thanks to them even the poorest of the poor Garo gets an opportunity to celebrate and make merry.Or has this become a Khasi-Jaintia movement only? Sad!
Yours etc.,
Sengkal Linbert Sangma,
Via email
Of media advocacy
Editor,
Thank you Shillong Times for highlighting the pathetic condition of the roads in Tura. The day the picture came out in your daily, most of the pot holes in the main thoroughfares of Tura were filled up – with mud! This is what the PWD here considers repairs! This is the Patch Work Department and not Public Works Department! While most of the side and ancillary roads in Shillong are resurfaced every year, here in Tura they are left to deteriorate till there is no surface left! Most of the PWD officers posted here and the PWD Chief Engineer are from this region, yet they are blind to the needs of the public.
The state of affairs in the PHE too is sad. There is shortage of water everywhere, and when there is a holiday, no one bothers to open the tank outlets as those responsible also take a holiday! Pipes are leaking throughout the town. The PHE blames the District Council and the ADC blames the PHE and no one undertakes the repairs!
The MeECL is not far behind in its inefficiency. Every day there are power outages. And one receives his electric bill once in three or more months! This is creating immense hardship especially to the lower income families as the bill amounts get accumulated! Is this fair? Is this legal?
We can’t even take care of one town, and some of us are demanding for a State! What a laugh!
Yours etc.,
Sertush B. Marak,
Upper Chandmari, Tura