By Babet Sten
Let me throw my hat into the NGT ring. After all, it seems like this is the only thing that this state government (composed of mining barons and wannabe barons) takes seriously. First things first, let us distinguish between the miners (actual ‘rat holers’) and the “suffering” owners. They are after all two different groups with two different sets of interests. The members of the first are undeniably oppressed and have to risk their lives and limbs to enhance and expand the bank accounts of the latter who in turn travel abroad, ride fancy expensive cars and generally breed brats who make a nuisance of themselves in public places. The labourers are the sufferers here! The labour department and various others offices don’t give a damn about these people because (let’s be brutally honest) they are non-tribals. Because they are overwhelmingly Nepali, Bangladeshi and to a negligible extent Garos, Khasis.
The definition of human in the phrase “human rights” it seems has been changed in Meghalaya. Do you think the miners are stupidly going down those death traps and that they have no idea what the requirements are for a safer and more secure working environment? Of course not! If this was happening in any other part of the country, there would be mass agitations and strikes in those mining areas. Their reason for remaining silent is because no one in the media bothers to talk to them, to encourage them and also because they are afraid. It is not the mine owners alone whom they fear but the Fascists of our state.
Our KSU and HNLC being the number one villains, with the rest of the goons tailing along. Let us not forget what would happen if the non-tribal miners voiced their protests. The KSU would threaten them because they have supposedly no rights in this land and the HNLC would threaten them for being illegal immigrants. Let us also not forget that these goons get a nice share of the pie by ensuring that the system goes along normally. As though this sickness is normal!
The complaints of the Dimasa people is a valid one and has been pending for a long time not least because of the disregard of their own state government. Now when they speak out to the NGT these so-called do-gooders all come out of the woodwork to defend our “tribal sovereignty”. It is an old trope articulated by a people who demand respect but have none for others. Because if you respected other communities, you would respect their rights to have access to free and safe water, which is a basic human right. Don’t you dare talk about respect if you are not going to give it. It is part of the modern
Khasi arrogance and it is the reason why we are in such a bad state today.
The Grand Council of Chiefs (read ‘thieves’ of common property resources ) says that the NGT ban is “unconstitutional”. My question is simple – are we defending the “Jaidbynriew” or our own interests when we use the constitutional ‘shields’ like the 6th Schedule or Instrument of Accession? Are the complaints of a few wealthy cretins, the voice of the people at large? It is unconstitutional, dear people, to have the Constitution hijacked by vested interest groups because the Constitution is about the greater common good. As a citizen of Hima Sutnga (historically I would have fallen under it) I too want to speak out for the Jaidbynriew. I too have a right to be heard, to help steer the Jaidbynriew ship. If we are going to talk about such a big thing as Jaidbynriew then by all means let’s have a vote – a plebiscite – to decide what we should all do with these resources at our disposal? Do these Grand people dare? Who are these captains today? Nothing but smiling heads and empty hearts, reassuring us that the ship is not sinking even as they prepare their own lifeboats!