Editor,
I am very new to this area of expressing ideas in your esteemed newspaper but I want to seriously make a point to my Khasi brethren to please wake up and be a little human before every other Khasi pays a price for what you are doing to the other people (non Khasis) in Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. I very recently went down South for my further studies and I found out that the people outside my state are really very good and accommodating. Of course one needs to adjust anywhere in the world for our own good and not have oodles of ego. India has many states, Meghalaya being one of them but why on earth are the Khasi people so communal and going all out to spread hatred and unrest not only in Meghalaya but also jeopardising the Khasi people studying and working outside? Do they think that we are the only tribe, only state, only community, only people in this whole wide world? I feel really ashamed when people talk about the way Khasis treat the non- Khasis and non tribals in Meghalaya. Please stop making us (Khasis) so small in mind and spirit. Right thinking, liberal minded Khasis will not support what the so called NGOs, social activists, pressure groups and other organisations in what they are fighting for. Let me clear some facts about some issues I know close to home in Shillong. The so called students’ union is just making an entry into the world of politics and least bothered about any issue or development. This is the time for them to show the future voters how much they think about the issues and problems being faced by the Khasis. I truly believe that it is for their vested interests. They know that we don’t have good leaders so far and they are making their presence felt. That’s all.
Regarding other social activists, its good if they are really fighting for any good of anyone but most of the time they seem to shut up and stop their complaint or agitation when they have been fed huge sums of money. Doesn’t this show that nobody is out to develop or do anything good to anyone? I read once that a criminal like Fullmoon Dhar was killed and the social activists and Human Rights members made a hue and cry about his death terming the death as a ‘fake encounter.’ Isn’t this humorous? How should a criminal ( the one who mercilessly killed people)die ? I thought that was how a criminal needs to end his life for the many crimes he committed and suddenly people from nowhere are fighting for a dead criminal like Fullmoon!. Please get real. You want to fight? Then fight for real, living, breathing people and do good to them instead. Let me give you a piece of my advice. If you really want to fight for something please fight for real issues that lead to development; issues that can bind humanity as a whole, not break them, issues like how can the local youth be employable in the true sense. Love your non tribal and non Khasi brethrens as this world is meant and created for each one of us and fight so that everyone gets peace and not fight to end each other’s lives. It is such a sorry state of affairs in my own city. I feel ashamed that I am part of this culture and tribe where people have become so shallow and narrow in their minds, where they have lost the basic values of being human and the meaning of existence. Shame on you!
Yours etc.,
Phrangsngi Mawthoh,
JSS College of Arts, Commerce and Science,
Mysore