Ex-Home min, citizens discuss means to attain peace

SHILLONG: A diverse group of concerned citizens from different walks of life met under the leadership of former Home Minister R.G Lyngdoh here on Wednesday to try and work out ways and means to bring sustainable peace in Shillong.
The Dorbar of concerned citizens met to discuss about bridging the gap between different communities residing in Shillong and bring overall peace and communal harmony in the cosmopolitan city.
Going by the nomenclature of the Dorbar of concerned citizens, the objective of the group is to provide a platform to people who wish to become stakeholders of peace in the city and the state and also to give voice to their concerns.
The group comprising senior lawyers, musicians, doctors, retired and serving government officials and civil society members intends to come out with a framework on which to pursue their objectives.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Lyngdoh said the Dorbar hopes to intervene to make things better in Shillong.
He said that Shillong is made up of communities which have isolated themselves and because of the lack of communication suspicion has found an unwanted place between the communities.
“This Dorbar will try to voice the feelings of all the communities and try to bridge the gap,” Lyngdoh said and added that the group will have a more holistic view about its approach.
The group also hopes to advise the state government from time to time on various developments taking place at the ground level and will try to see that communalism and chauvinism do not raise their ugly head in Shillong.
The group is also looking to expand its base and bring more people from different parts of the city under its ambit.