By Barnes Mawrie
“I thought marijuana was no big deal. … I felt I could stand out if I did crazy things.” That was before Kevin West put a bullet through his head.
What is most disturbing for society today is the growing menace of drugs which our city is not exempted from. In almost all localities of Shillong today, the headmen and the local authorities are tirelessly wrestling with this menace. It is a phenomenon that is threatening the very socio-cultural fabric of our society. It is an evil that is destroying the future of generations of youth. Ten years ago, drug trafficking and drug addiction were very rarely heard of, but today these things have penetrated into many families. There are many local youth who have become drugs sale agents and the number is growing day by day. These persons target the school and college going boys and girls. Not even small children are spared. It is discovered that they entice school children with soft drinks mixed with drugs. This malicious strategy is to trap children and youth into addiction. Once a boy or a girl gets addicted to such substance, they become the guaranteed customers of these drug peddlers. In this manner the number of drug users continue to grow and drug addiction becomes a societal problem. Perhaps some of the reasons for the growth of drug trafficking and drug usage in our city could be the following:
The rising number of unemployed youth: The number of youth who are educated and qualified keeps on growing while the job opportunities are scarce. There is a great disparity between the number of employable youth and the jobs available. Meghalaya due to the lack of foresight and vision of our leaders, is particularly deprived of industries and international institutes that could provide ample jobs for our youth. Most of our youth who are in search of a job end up being disappointed and when easy-money making jobs like drug trafficking comes their way, they grab at it.
Growing number of migrants: Another reason for the rise in drug peddling in our city, is the growing number of migrants especially from states like Manipur and Mizoram where drugs are easily available due to their proximity to the Golden Triangle an area known for drug production. As everyone knows, North-east India is a strategic link in the chain of drug trafficking to the rest of the country. Among the North-eastern states, Manipur and Mizoram are the most strategic states. Many drug traffickers from these two states have infiltrated into Shillong and they easily get hold of some local unemployed youth to serve as dealers offering them big money. Recently, when a local youth who was supplying drugs was caught in Mawlai, it was discovered that he got his supplies from a Manipuri man staying in Madanrting.
Lure of easy money: Another possible reason for the growth of drug peddlers and drug users in our city, is perhaps the lure of easy big money. Considering that a kg of drug would fetch lakhs of rupees or even a crore, this is a big business and therefore a great temptation to our youth. The compulsions involved in drug addiction guarantees the suppliers with regular customers. As the number of addicts grows the shady business gets bigger and bigger.
Knowing what drugs can do to the youth, it is a real threat to the very survival of our society itself. Youth who take to drugs not only become susceptible to HIV/AIDS, but they also become a menace to their families and to society at large. Such youth destroy their own future and they are a great loss to the community. Drug addicts are easily prone to violence and not so rarely they are involved in robbery and homicides. Families who have children who are drug-addicts go through a nightmarish experience. They are disdained or looked upon with suspicion in the community.
Drug trafficking and drug addiction must be halted at all costs if we want to save our community. I do appreciate the efforts made by the various Dorbar Shnong of localities of Shillong to nip this problem in the bud. But this menace has grown so widespread and strong that it requires more collaborative efforts with the state authorities as well as with all NGOs. If there is an effective sharing of intelligence between these groups, many of these drug traffickers can be nabbed. At the same time, more mechanisms must be in place to help to cater to the need of the addicts so as to help them overcome this problem and join the mainstream society. The task is herculean and it requires a lot of planning and commitment from all sections of society. Awareness programmes regarding the negative impact of drugs should be organized in every school, college, village and community centre. This menace has to be rooted out by all means or else we run the risk of turning North-East India into another Colombia, Peru or Mexico where drug lords rule the roost. Such a situation should not be allowed to happen to our State and so we hope that the Government will consider this as an urgent issue to be resolved.
I do not know whether this issue has ever been brought up in the assembly; if not, it should be done. We have to save our young people or else we will pass on the buck to a depraved generation that would lack qualities of head and heart and that would mean the doom of a community.
Barnes Mawrie sdb