Aizawl: Misinterpretations of the Bible not only cause God words getting lost in translation, but can also prevent justice.
Mizoram chief information commissioner Lal Dingliana felt that misinterpretation of one of the Ten Commandments prevents Christians in Mizoram from seeking information under the RTI Act.
Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbour, one of the Ten Commandments, written in Exodus 20:16 of the Old Testament, is translated into Mizo as I vengte I hek tur a ni lo.
According to Mizo version of this commandment, one should not “accuse” his neighbour, which is quite different from “bearing false witness”.
“I feel that this wrong translation of the Bible makes people hesitate about using the RTI Act as they feel that it amounts to accusing others. That is a total misconception,” Lal Dingliana, said to a local vernacular Sunday paper Zalen.
As Mizoram, along with the rest of country, is observing RTI Week from Monday, the CIC wanted the public to understand the true purpose of the RTI Act.
“I want the people to understand that seeking information under RTI Act does not amount to accusing anyone. The RTI Act is meant to bring about transparency and prevent corruption,” Dingliana was quoted.
Dingliana’s view is shared by many in the legal fraternity who said that most of the Christians are of the opinion that going to the law courts amount to accusing others that is against the Bible.
“The wrong translation of this Bible verse is sure a factor that prevents people from seeking justice in the courts of law. But now that attitude has slowly changed,” said a lawyer.
That changing attitude can also be seen in the increasing rate of RTI applications during the last few years.
According to the CIC, a total of 6571 RTI applications have been received since the inception of Mizoram Information Commission in June 2006. There were only 476 RTI applications in 2006-2007, which decreased to 371 applications in 2007-08. The number of RTI applications further declined to 177 in 2008-2009.
They went up slightly to 695 in 2009-10 and further to 741 the next year.
From 2011-12, the number of people seeking information kept increasing, from 1045 to 1316 in 2012-13 and further to 1750 in 2013-14.
Anti-corruption organisation Prism and activists of opposition parties are the most active people in utilising the RTI Act in Mizoram Founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of fighting corruption under the RTI Act, Prism (People’s Right to Information & Development Implementing Society of Mizoram) has filed eight PILs, 51 FIRs and 47 complaints during its eight years of crusade. (UNI)