Editor,
It really pains me to see the level of hate that still exist in our city 46 years after statehood. It was pure coincidence that I visited the shop which bore the brunt of the stone pelting as caught on TV by local media in Police Bazaar a day before the actual incident took place.The shopkeeper who was caught off-guard by the unwarranted situation and who was nearly hit by a stone in his hurried attempt to pull down the shutters is a really soft spoken person and he seems like a really nice and amiable guy.
Before anyone starts to accuse me of taking the side of the “Others” by my fellow Khasis, I would like to remind them that I grew up in Riatsamthiah, a predominantly Khasi locality where hatred against the others is an inborn characteristic of most male members of the locality.Xenophobia was part of my inbuilt trait and as I grew up the level of hatred towards non-Khasis in general increased.The only difference in me now after many years of having personal relationships in the workplace with non-Khasis is that I have learned the valuable life lesson that these are also people with feelings who at the end of the day just want to live their lives like the rest of us.There is absolutely no doubt that we need to resolve the longstanding border dispute with our neighbouring state and implement a strong law to check illegal immigration since illegal immigration poses a direct threat to the survival of a small community like ours but at the same time we need to accept the fact that a section of the non tribal population in Shillong has been been part and parcel of our society since the inception of our State and they should be stakeholders in the overall growth and development of our state.Rather than pointing fingers at others,as a community we need to introspect and identify the lacunae that has been holding us back and preventing us from developing a healthy competitive edge over others.
Yours etc.,
Gary Marbaniang,
Via email
KSU needs mature leaders
Editor,
The Khasi Students Union has been rendering yeoman service in protecting the rights and the traditions of the Khasi people for the last forty years. If it was not for their alertness and courage, a lot of issues would have remained unaddressed and the Khasi people would have suffered. On behalf of the Khasis and in my personal capacity, I would like to express my gratefulness to the Union for the good work it has done.
However, while appreciating the leadership of the Union for their vision and courage, I would also like to impress upon them the need to discipline their rank and file. Glorifying violence will only negate the good work done by the Union. History testifies that physical force and violence will not, and cannot, bring sustainable solutions to any problems. On the other hand, peaceful debates and negotiations will always bring durable solutions.
Moreover, every time violence is perpetrated on soft targets, the image of the Union suffers tremendously and they lose credibility. We elect our political representatives, so the Government now belongs to us. It is no longer a colonial government. So, we can assume that they too have the interests of the State and its people foremost in their minds. Of course, they have to rise above community and look at the overall good of the State. So we should be ready to talk and negotiate with them instead of resorting to violence at the first instance. After all, violence will only beget more violence and everybody suffers, irrespective of community.
The presence of the Khasi Students’ Union should make the people of the State feel safer knowing that the Union will always safeguard their interests, irrespective of community or creed. A mature leadership will ensure that the peace and communal harmony, essential for progress and development, is not threatened in any way. A mature leadership will also do what it must to ensure that the image and credibility of the Union is not compromised by the emotional outbursts of a few in public places.
I congratulate the Union and its leadership, past and present, on touching forty years. The Union has championed the cause of the downtrodden and given voice to the voiceless. I wish them all the best on reaching this important milestone, and I pray that God may continue to bless and guide its members as we move forward in time. Let us discourage violence and look for peaceful solutions to the problems we face.
Yours etc.,
RG Lyngdoh,
Via email