Editor,
After reading the news item “Brave woman takes on GNLA…” I sent my prayers to God Almighty to protect the woman, her friend and their families. She did what others could not have possibly done…. Salute to her!.
As citizens of Garo Hills, we must seriously fight this militancy evil which breeds extortion. The ” brave woman” is indeed courageous to take on such elements alone. It is a pity that the police are too lazy and lethargic in the most vulnerable places of Garo Hills. That is the reason why the militants are having a field day. I see no reason why the police could not have turned up to the spot in time despite the timely information. It is not as if Tura is too big a town. Police always blame the public for not cooperating with them. But when public contacts them, their response time is too slow or in most cases they don’t respond at all. It is the incompetence of police which has allowed militants to rule the roost in Garo Hills. We as public should not take this lying down. Let’s take a cue from the “brave woman.” It is time the civil society, NGOs, church leaders, et al voice their opinion condemning police inaction and incompetence and denouncing militancy in all forms and by all groups.
Yours etc.,
Max Roger Momin,
Tura,.
Hats off to the brave woman!
Editor,
As a woman, it gave me a sense of pride and elation to read of a brave heart in Tura, West Garo Hills who single handed stood against all odds and chased away a member of the militant outfit, GNLA. It definitely speaks of her courage and her bravery. She did not bow down in fear nor did she cow down against even the peril of her life. Rather she determinedly injected fear in the outlaw by forcing him to flee. I salute this brave heart. Yet on the same note, I am reminded of the scenes from the movies whereby policemen usually arrive at the crime scene well after everything is done. Movies are supposed to reflect real life. In real life any delay by the guardians of the law may result in something catastrophic. Surely we cannot afford this. One hopes that the brave heart and her family receive all the police protection now that their lives are under threat.
Yous etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email
Weird ideas of JFK
Editor,
It is astonishing that after the recently concluded MDC elections wherein regional parties led by HSPDP have managed to trump the Congress Party as a joint force, Mr. John Kharshiing seems unable to give up hope by throwing in vague political ideas such as a combined Executive Council under the Congress. He should have understood the fact that the Congress party as a whole is already facing rejection and dejection in different parts of the country and the district council elections have proved to be the beginning of its downfall. Moreover, what brings into question is why this spokesperson of the so called Grand Council of Chiefs makes such absurd statements and on what legitimacy? In fact people are misled to think that this Council is some kind of constitutional body but in actual fact it is just another political platform for publicity and political stunts. I find there is no justification that another parallel ‘Council’ which does not have the mandate of the common people should be seen as another ‘Government organ’.
Yours etc.,
Dominic S.Wankhar
Shillong-3
Crisis, Crisis, Crisis!
Editor,
The potholes in Mawprem are becoming a sort of tourist attraction for visitors (friends, relatives) etc., The roads are in such a pathetic condition that thery have turned into paddy fields. Another nuisance is the overflow/ mismanagement/ wastage of water at various stretches alongside this road which makes people jump like frogs. Why is the MLA blind to this pathetic state of affairs?
Yours etc.,
Anand Koirala,
Via email
Social Media – a new power to reckon with
Editor,
The power that the Facebook and other social network have on their users is beyond imagination. There are on record many incidents of its users leading one another to commit suicide. At the same time there are equal numbers of incidents on record showing its users deterring one another from committing suicide. Such is the power that social media has on its users! Needless to say that it has established itself as an important spatial extension of India’s historicity and challenges.
Trust and authenticity is very important when sharing information online as all of us are bound by a code of conduct by our profession which extrapolates out to all areas of communication including social media
The strength of different social media networks is dependent on the credibility of the authors. Paradoxically, the quality of the knowledge share and discontinuity of the media content is positively associated with the authenticity issue of any given social media. The general user should therefore know how to share information, how to communicate effectively with other people and how to create new content. Social networking sites have also transformed society on both the micro and macro level. On the micro level, individuals are able to keep track of their friends and family on a daily basis. People can upload pictures, offer commentary on a topic of their choice or voyeuristically view the activities of others. With a single click, a person can receive organized updates on a friend who is on the other side of the world. On the macro level, social media has enabled mass gatherings, helped to organize strikes and facilitate revolutions around the world.
Given the present scenario, I dare say that social media is the new currency of credibility, and indeed a power to reckon with.
Yous etc.,
Omar Luther King
Pitampura
Delhi – 34