By Jennifer Dkhar
What is the most important thing on earth? Is it life? Is it love? Is it respect? Is it wealth? Is it peace? Is it solidarity? Well it is all of the above and a lot more that defines our existence here on earth. However, what needs to be seen is out of everything else there is but ONE source out of which everything else springs. Yes, there is and that is LIFE. What is life? Life maybe defined differently varying from one person to the other. Though, if it may be perceived from a more basic and a general understanding, then life, first of all is a blessing from God. As long as we breathe and as long as our hearts beat that is life. The very first breath that a new born baby takes the moment it is brought into this earth is life. However what intrinsically defines life is what that newly born child will make of it. What is of even greater importance is what kind of a world we adults are preparing for God’s beautiful blessings, our children?
As a human being, as a woman, as a daughter, as a sister, as a mother, I live in fear and worry. I am in fear of life. I am in fear of what has become of this world. I fear for girls and women. I fear for their pride and dignity. I fear abuse and violence, I fear for their lives. I fear for boys, I fear for their anger and anxiety, I fear for their submission to evils like liquor and drugs, looting and plundering, terrorism and violence, I fear for their lives. True, I fear for the kind of lives that we are living. I fear for the kind of negativity that our children are exposed to. And why wouldn’t I be? I have every reason to be anxious and nervous. Every time I pick up a newspaper or switch on to the news channels, there are reports of rape, murders, violence, bombs, foul play, poverty, ill health, unemployment, scams, corruption, nepotism, you name it, we have it.
For instance, how many rape cases have been reported and if reported how many rape victims have been given justice? Will the recent rape and murder of Shailina Kharrymba the 19 year old girl at 4 ½ Mile, Upper Shillong ever get justice? All that we know is that the perpetrator in spite of his confession is on a mere five days remand. Will he ever be convicted and punished for having brutally snatched the innocent girl’s dignity and life? What is sad is the bare fact that our legal system tends to be very liberal with the perpetrators of such devilish acts. At times there are no arrests and even if there are, the law works at a snail’s pace. The perpetrator often gets bail and long before he is convicted he can lead a regular and normal life without any feeling of remorse for the crime he committed, thereby setting examples for others to emulate. The law is very slow in awarding stringent punishment due to the perpetrator. Instead of immediate action to curb such crimes and thereby act as deterrents against such menace to the society, our legal system fails to deliver immediate and appropriate justice to the victims. One of the root causes of rape is low conviction rate.
The need of the hour is for speedy conviction and punishment of rapists; more so in cases of rapes of and by minors. No criminal should get away with three or four years of imprisonment and minimal fine nor should any resourceful and influential criminal compensate for the crime by paying a huge amount of money to the victim and be acquitted, free from blame or even pardoned. The court of law must comprehend the truth that these criminals that are without any conscience, scruples and moral values will not be deterred until and unless they are awarded punishment equivalent to the pain and stigma that the victim goes through throughout her life. Will this be just like any other rape case that will die out leaving the perpetrator untouched and unharmed while the hearts and life of the girl’s family is left with emptiness and a loss that is irreparable?
While it is certain that man has no knowledge of the future it is also a living truth that the future does not look so rosy because the present is not so cheerful. I think it is about time that we ask ourselves; why are things so wrong in this world today? Why are there crimes and negativity? Why this divide and discrimination? Is there a way out? What can be done to bring about change for the good and better of one and all? First and foremost we must cherish our beings as much as we cherish ourselves. If life is really how and what we make of our blessings from God then we must choose wisely and judiciously. After all as Confucius said: “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
Our journey of life abounds with temptations but the determination to walk the path of righteousness is what really matters. It needs a strong mind, a brave heart and a pious spirit to shun all that is mendacious and wrong and accept all that is honourable and right. Once man adheres to the principle of righteousness and piety the mind and the heart will be filled with love for one and all, respect for the mighty and the small and peace and tranquillity within the self will prevail. Once man is at peace with himself, he will see the world differently. Man will look at the world with eyes and a heart filled with love and respect. Man will extend his hand of warmth and love to one and all. There will be no inhibitions on his part but good faith and trust on another human being.
One of the principles of Mahatma Gandhi is for man to be tolerant. If one’s nobility is irksome and is an eyesore to the other learn to be more patient and more tolerant. Man must never give up. Instead man must adhere to the tenets of love and adoration. After all love begets love and hatred begets hatred. Gandhi once said “Where there is love there is life”. Today we need to revive our spirits of love and respect for one another in order to make this world a better place to live in. Let there be goodness. Let there be love. Let there be respect. Let there be peace. Let there be solidarity. Let there be religion that listens, hears and adheres to the commands of God: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”. [Mathew 22:39]