Editor,
I was disturbed to note from the front page of the Shillong Times, July 7, 2020, that an FIR has been filed against its Editor for her comments on the recent Lawsohtun assault. This short-sighted attitude only serves to exacerbate an already inflamed issue and does nothing to solve the problem. It is pointless to raise accusing fingers at journalists, most of whom are only carrying out their duties of taking the news to the public. To nitpick on choice of words misses the wood for the trees.
At the centre of the incident seem to be groups of youth. Youth are already going through the strains and stresses of education, job-seeking, and becoming independent citizens of society. The Covid pandemic has imposed further psychological trauma. Youth aged 15-29 have the highest suicide rate of any age group and this will now rise.
It would be far better if responsible citizens and administrative bodies focused their energies to delve into the roots of the issue and take concrete steps. Education, employment and entertainment are important priorities for youth and we need to support them as they navigate through this most difficult time of their lives. Perhaps traditional bodies and community organizations can come up with ideas to develop our youth, instead of mobilizing them for detrimental purposes.
During the Covid epidemic, the government of Karnataka has inducted students into Covid work. For this they will be given an extra five marks in their examinations. Such ideas and incentives which cost little, need to be thought of. We need to be ingenious and adaptive in developing our youth.
Inflaming communal passions is easy. It’s more worthwhile to set about building a humane and equal society.
Yours etc.,
Glenn C. Kharkongor,
Via email
Not communal at all
Editor,
Apropos the news item, “FIR against ST Editor”, (ST, July 07, 2020), I am of the opinion that the personal comments of Patricia Mukhim, on social media do not merit the contention that they might incite communal feelings unless one chooses to fabricate things to suit their ends. The issue of non-tribal bashing has been going on in these hills since the state came into being and hasn’t stopped. Ms Mukhim could not be more correct when she said that such attackers and trouble mongers since 1979 have never been arrested and even if arrested never been penalized according to law. What is of concern is that lack of penal action against such elements over the years have rather prompted these ugly heads to repeat their crimes and this has earned a bad name for Meghalaya.
If one compares the Lawsohtun incident with that in Ichamati, one can see the zeal and with which the wrongdoers were instantly booked in case of the latter whereas in the former, what we know is that the police are still hunting for the masked miscreants. Wonder if one should blame/question police for their inefficiency in the of the Lawsohtun incident and pat them for the Ichamati one. The contention of the Lawsohtun Dorbar Shnong, which has filed an FIR against ms Mukhim is that they fear that her statement could instigate communal conflict and endanger the lives of Khasis living outside the state because her post mentioning the 1979 conflict has already been given a communal colour by some media houses in West Bengal. Why is this bothering them so much? Perhaps the reasons are known to all. The fear of the Dorbar is legitimate but what about the non-tribal brethren here who have been living in perpetual fear. Is that fear not legitimate? Perhaps, it is high time that the tribesmen/women of Meghalaya and North East realize that their repeated offence against non-tribals here may well make them targets elsewhere.
And have we heard a word of condemnation from the very Dorbar under whose jurisdiction the incident took place? In not condemning such incidents by looking at who the victims are the tribesmen/women here are themselves giving the incident a communal colour and that has always been the case here since statehood. Nonetheless, the police should take the help of the Lawsohtun Dorbar Shnong since as Ms Mukhim correctly stated in her post, “the Dorbar Shnong will certainly know the criminal elements in their area and should ideally lead the charge and identify those murderous elements.”
Yours etc.
BC Paul
Shillong – 4