A horrific act!
Editor,
The recent case of a rape victim who filed an FIR against Shanbor Lyngdoh and his wife Indaker Tariang her employers and Manbha Nongtri makes us shudder. The victim alleges that her employers aided and abetted Manbha Nongtri to rape her. The 21 year old victim who suffered for 5 years could muster courage to file an FIR only on Jan 17 last where she accused Shanbor Lyngdoh, his wife Indaker Tariang, residents of Lumnongrim in Umsning and Manbha Nongtri from Syadheh in Ri-Bhoi district of mentally and physically torturing her since 2013.
She was working as a domestic help from 2013-17 during which time she was physically abused and was not allowed to step out of the house. During this period, she was also raped twice by her employers’ associate — Manbha Nongtri, once in 2016 while she was sleeping and the second time in a car, following which she got pregnant. The victim alleged that Tariang was complicit in this. The victim was unaware that she was pregnant until she was taken for a medical check up. When she was 5 months pregnant, she was forcibly taken to Arya hospital, Guwahati for abortion but the hospital refused to perform the procedure. The next hospital also refused to terminate the pregnancy.
The victim delivered a baby girl on April 6, 2017 at Nazareth Hospital but was forced to give her baby up for adoption after falsifying her identity. Despite all the sufferings, the victim returned to her employers’ house until the local residents heard about the mental and physical torture that she had undergone and reported the matter to the Dorbar Shnong after which a meeting was called. The employers threatened the victim not to reveal anything. In the month of November the victim fled to her mother’s place and sought the help of an ASHA worker. Even then Tariang called her mother and threatened her with dire consequences. The victim’s child is with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Nongpoh which did not lodge an FIR against the persons who handed them the baby or against those who signed the adoption papers.
Following the FIR Manbha Nongtri the rape accused is arrested but the abettors Shanbor Lyngdoh and his wife Indaker Tariang are still at large. Now we wonder whether the rape victim will get justice after all she has been through. The police have done their part of the job and the rest lies with the court of law. The court could even suggest a paternity test for the child born out of the incidents of rape.
Why are Shanbor Lyngdoh and his wife protecting Nongtri? Isn’t this because the victim is poor? Isn’t this modern day slavery that the victim had to undergo for five years? The crime here is magnified as the three conspired to terminate the child in the victim’s womb. That this can happen in a matrilineal society is despicable. It is high time for society to raise its voice against such atrocities and for responsible NGOs and pressure groups in the State to take the lead and give voice to the voiceless and help to bring justice to those who are too weak and powerless to fight for their rights.
Yours etc,
Evarist Myrsing
Nongrim Nongladaw (Mawbri)
Request for alteration in MBOSE examination schedule
Editor,
As concerned students and aspiring candidates for the upcoming MBOSE 2018 Class 12 Board Examinations, we wish to express our appreciation to the concerned parent, who had written the letter to the editor on the same issue, on December 30, 2017. Indeed, it is obvious to any student of Science how indispensible the subject of Chemistry is, especially as an integral part of any merit-based selection for higher studies. As such, obtaining reasonable grades in the subject is critical for the pursuit of a successful career. However, it is appalling how little thought the Board has given to this matter with regard to the students opting for Computer Applications. The Chemistry syllabus takes almost ten months to complete. The time for revision should be proportionate to the content of the discipline. There being not a single day’s gap between examinations of Chemistry and Computer Applications, the impact of the routine will be disastrous on the results of the Science students. I am certain that the Board would not desire poor performance from any student. Under such circumstances, it will be more than desirable to have postpone the Chemistry examination to a later date, so as to benefit every combination of core subjects. The reasoned thought of the Board members and a measure to amend the exam routine, is in the opinion of most guardians and students alike, imperative, and it must be effected quickly, to prevent a catastrophe which will hamper the future of many of the bright and hopeful candidates of MBOSE. It is our fervent hope that the MBOSE authorities lend an empathetic ear to our pleas.
Yours etc.,
Garry Casper Iangrai & Mohsin Omar Ahmed (students)
Via email
Sincerity- a noble human asset
Editor,
Sincerity is the name of a bridge that can connect what we preach with what we do. It joins, so to speak, two opposite banks of a river ~ our ideals and our actions. Most of the time, we ourselves, do not follow what we generally expect from others. Sometimes, we even do exactly the opposite of what we say.
Thus, sincerity can rescue one from becoming such a miserable character that one fails to recognise one’s own identity. This dilemma can even make us suffer from dissociative identity disorder (DID) or multiple personality disorder. So, we need to resolve to become more sincere with our commitment to our family, occupation, society, country and of course to the divine. This is absolutely necessary to make ourselves as good as our word.
As English preacher Charles Spurgeon had said, “Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite.” Indeed, we can become truthful and honest only by being sincere. It will do us a world of good for our mental health. It saves us from playing a mind-boggling role of a devil’s advocate for rationalising our hypocrisy.
Sincerity can make parents and teachers role models of children. Indeed, to be a living example is the only way to guide our children. As the Mother (spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo) had said, “Example is the most powerful instructor. Never demand from a child an effort of discipline that you do not make yourself. Calm, equanimity, order, method, absence of useless words, ought to be constantly practiced by the teacher if he wants to instil them into his pupils.” In business too, sincerity must be the watchword of a company to enhance its goodwill, reputation and the brand value of its products.
At the end of the day, it is a sincere person who will win the admiration and trust not only of many people but more importantly of himself.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata