Editor,
The mining of Uranium in Meghalaya might soon materialize. The outcome of this will be more than we envisage. Who will benefit from this? The questions remain unanswered. The Chief Minister of Meghalaya last year had clarified that the Government would not allow mining of uranium unless all stakeholders agree to it but yesterday’s earth-shattering statement from the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), DoNER, Dr Jitendra Singh who in a transcribed retort in Lok Sabha informed that the UCIL through the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India plans to go ahead with the process of Uranium mining in Meghalaya, is earth shattering. Singh further informed that ‘the approval to execute land lease with landowners, grant of mining lease and consent for establishment had been taken up with the Meghalaya government. This news has astonished us all because the disapproval for mining is still at its peak. I am quite sceptical about this development. I just want to ask the Chief Minister and his government if they will stand by what they said because the consent of the people is fundamental in this regard especially of those who belong to the region where uranium will be extracted.
This is a matter of grave concern to all the residents of Meghalaya. Based on reports from Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh uranium mining had caused more harm than good to the people of these regions but the concerned authorities here don’t seem bothered. We are yet to get over the trauma of ‘coal mining’ which has killed the aquatic lives in the major rivers of Jaintia hills. Such mining has made it very difficult for the people from these regions to live a vigorous life. The effects of uranium are more disastrous and will directly affect us. Reports suggest that uranium mining usually leads to lung cancer. If uranium is breathed in, its radioactivity can advance lung disease and bone malignancy. Let us express our concerns about the ‘plans’ of the Central government to start mining uranium because once it starts, it will be next to impossible to resist. The state government has failed to safeguard and protect our environment and without a proper framework and an environment protection policy we are doomed. We elect representatives to the Legislative Assembly to ensure security and well being of their people and to protect the state from various problems but they seem to have failed us. It is time to question our representatives, especially those in the Government. The indigenous people here are believed to be lovers of nature and most of us will never consider mining of uranium in the state. If we are defeated in this race, we will certainly be defeated in every sphere of our endeavour as natives of the land.
Yours etc.,
Banshanlang Marwein,
Pyndengumiong Mairang
Significance of Sohpetbneng for Khasi Christians
Editor,
Last Sunday the adherents of Niam Khasi had their annual religious function on Sohpetbneng Peak, a sacred place of the Khasis since time immemorial. It is important that sacred places be respected and much more if they are connected with our own cultural history. On 12th February this year, the Catholic community will also hold an annual religious function on the same peak. This practice was initiated by Rev. Fr. Sylvanus Sngi Lyngdoh many years ago. In fact, he has built a chapel on the peak which is meant to be a place of pilgrimage for the Khasi Christians. Now there is a controversial question both from without and within. The question from without comes from the adherents of Niam Tynrai who claim that the Christians are aping their practice and that they have no right to do so. My answer to this is: Khasi culture and tradition belongs to every Khasi whether he/she professes a Niam Tynrai or any other religion. By becoming a Christian I do not lose my right to my culture. In fact, there is a misconception in India that Christianity is a western religion and so becoming a Christian makes one a westerner and deprives it Indianness. It is to be clearly understood that faith transcends culture and so faith is free is assume any culture. Let us not forget that Christianity is an eastern religion because Jesus was a Jew not a European. But Christian faith got implanted in European culture so well that Christianity became synonymous with Europe. For that matter, Buddhism is an Indian religion but today who says that Buddhism in Korea, China, Thailand or Myanmar, is Indian? That particular religious faith got integrated into those cultures and has become part and parcel of those cultures. So it is sheer stupidity to say that Indian Christians are westerners. Christian faith among the Khasis today is already integrated into the culture through the process of inculturation. Christian faith definitely came through European missionaries, but we are not bound to take their culture. Faith can find itself at home in any culture because it is a spiritual and not a material reality bound by space and form. So if the Church today has accepted to integrate significant elements of culture like veneration of Sohpetbneng peak, it is something positive and theologically sound. If the Greeks could find the divine on Mt. Olympus or the Jews on Mt. Zion, could not the Khasis too find God on Sohpetbneng? The presumption that Khasis who become Christians have no more right to their culture and tradition is therefore unacceptable. The question from within comes from some right-wing Christians themselves who entertain a narrow theological perspective. Such Christians view culture-based practices like pilgrimage to Sohpetbneng etc, as something sacrilegious. They fail to understand that faith does not exist in a vacuum. It needs a substratum which is culture itself. The mystery of Christ’s incarnation clearly proves this. This shows that culture in itself is good and praiseworthy and should be respected and preserved at all cost. If they think that our Khasi culture is not worthy of assuming the Christian faith, then they must be suffering from a cultural inferiority complex or are utterly misinformed. If God himself loved culture and chose to be born into one of them, then there is no reason why we should despise our culture. In my opinion, the annual pilgrimage to Sohpetbneng by Christians, is the right decision made by those who understand the theological significance of it. In fact, the Church should officially declare this event as part of its popular devotions. It would be the most meaningful event if all Christians flock annually to Sohpetbneng to praise and worship God on that sacred ground.
Yours etc.,
Barnes Mawrie sdb,
Via email