Editor,
With the exception of the CSWO led by Agnes Kharshiing and TUR led by Angela Rangad, other NGOs including students’ organisations have taken reported sexual crimes like rapes, sexual assaults and exploitation as mere news reports or routine occurrences. Even individuals treat these as normal daily events without doing anything. This apathy is shameful and horrible. What type of society are we living in today? Even faith based organisations like the plethora of Christian denominations (Catholic Church, Presbyterian Church, Church of God, Church of Christ, the Pentecostal Church, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Baptist Church, the Anglican Church etc.), the Hindu Mission, the Islamists, the Sikhs, Buddhists and others have not even come forward to protests against these societal crimes. Perhaps many of them are non-practicing followers and it is possible that many of them are culprits or collaborators in such crimes. Because silence is not only consent but collaboration!
Even the Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) is not only found wanting in this regard but is also not dynamic and pro-active in its role. It is the duty of the Commission to be extra active or pro-active and go out of its way to help the children, girls, women and even the men who are victimised in many ways. This Commission has to discharge its vital role as mandated. It has to show its relevance of being in office and not be contented with honoraria and perks. It seems the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) is doing far better than the MSCW in a lot of ways. However, there is much output desired also from the SCPCR too. Both have to work and walk the extra mile to combat crimes against children and women because the crimes are rampant and are going to double and triple, if we go by the current rate.
The police have done quite well in tracking down the perpetrators but they have to do much more. Police have to show greater professionalism especially in investigations because if the investigators are unprofessional the criminals will never be arrested not to speak of punishing them according to law. I must emphasise here that the Meghalaya Police are yet to show their effectiveness in crime investigations. This aspect must be addressed by the present DGP.
Reported sexual crimes in Meghalaya have increased in the last fifteen years. Every year the crime rates have just shot up but conviction rates remain dismal. This is not acceptable. There is urgent need for mass awareness and mass consciousness to root out this horrific crime. It has to start from families, schools, colleges, universities, religious organisations, religious frontal wings, village durbars, elakas, public offices and even in legislatures because large number of legislators in India are sex maniacs and are number one perpetrators of sexual crimes against women and children and a few of them are also homosexuals.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email
Shame on Meghalaya!
Editor,
It is embarrassing and shameful that Meghalaya is in the limelight for very wrong reasons. This time, to have a militant turned politician bringing down the name of our state for criminal acts against a minor girl, is even more infuriating. In retrospect, had he not committed all sorts of crimes before becoming a politician? Was he punished for these criminal acts? Rather such a militant was provided security and protection instead of being put behind bars. So for the man to continue committing many more crimes comes naturally. Relatively, he was elected as the people’s representative, given more power and authority which is an encouragement to further commit many more crimes. I feel the need to say this: Shame on this man! Shame on the system! Shame on each one of us!
For all we know, Julius Dorphang may just escape trial due to the lackadaisical state of functioning of our system and in due course he may just get his own way around the justice system. Will the girl he has wronged and violated be provided justice? Now that’s a big question. The judicial procedure in our country is such that it takes ages to convict a criminal no matter how heinous his crimes may be. I feel that in the case of rape, especially on minors, there be special courts that will bring the criminal to book with great immediacy? This will surely deter others from committing such crimes? As it is now, the slow rates of conviction for such crimes have only emboldened filthy minds and criminals to commit the crime not only once but several times over.
I am so tempted to say that perhaps along with demonetisation, our Prime Minister should have worked at providing better, speedier and efficient legal system with befitting punishment pronounced on criminals that will make them think a hundred times before committing any crime.
Yours etc.,
Jennifer Dkhar,
Via email