Editor,
We are entering the third year of the current pandemic with this new covid-19 variant Omicron which is spreading like wild fire across the globe and now detected in our state. However, this time around we expect a different and more balanced approach from the government based on all the experience gathered over the past two years.
On behalf of the daily wage labourers, the students’ community, business establishments and the general public, we request the government to take into consideration their well-being and interest before announcing any restrictions and curbs. Since, the past two years so much of hardships have been experienced by everyone because of the lockdown and various restrictions. We have witnessed so much of unemployment and loss of livelihoods, loss of learning opportunities, mental health issues, and a complete standstill of economic activities. Many families and businesses have been over- burdened with huge debts and losses in the past two years.
Recently, in the media we heard the opinions and voices of small shopkeepers and traders at Iewduh about the new restrictions announced by the government; we could feel their frustration and anxiety. I remember in many conversations with some members of the business community, where they expressed their desperation, saying that if ever the third lockdown is imposed again in the near future they will have no options but to close down their businesses and shops. This time many parents too have expressed their reservations of sending their children to school, with the fear that after having paid the full amount of school fees their children, as happened in the last two years, will not be able to go to school and will hardly learn anything. It is to be mentioned here that even UNICEF has admitted that repeated school closure due to Covid-19 resulted in learning loss and alarming inequities in learning opportunities for children, and reiterated “2022 cannot be another year of disrupted learning”.
Since, international evidence indicates that the Omicron variant though likely to be more transmissible is less severe than Delta variant and also with reduced risk of hospitalization, I humbly request the Government to have proper consultation with experts so that the various measures to be imposed and their impact and effectiveness be properly evaluated, so that normal life will be least disrupted.
Yours etc.,
Samborlang Dkhar,
Shillong
The battle is not ours
Editor,
Recently a number of letters, articles and editorials have appeared in the print media which were critical of the church leaders and their silence on the atrocities meted out to Christians in states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, UP and others, to the extent of vandalising church buildings and burning holy scriptures. Many readers are perhaps waiting for a response to this unjustified outrage and hatred for Christians. What would Jesus have done in such a situation is a moot question. History tells us that He experienced much worse than this even to the extent of death by crucifixtion. How did He respond to His enemies ? He prayed and forgave them for they knew not what they were doing. He laid down the same principles to His followers.
Love your enemies, bless those that curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. One may be tempted to say, these are hard instructions not relevant in the present age and difficult to follow. But Christians in the early church did and were successful. They encountered terrible times and many died as martyrs under the rule of emperor Nero, the monster of cruelty. The role of Christians in the State is elaborated in the New Testament of the Bible. ‘Let everyone render due obedience to those who occupy positions of outstanding authority for there is no authority which is not allotted its place by God…(Rom.13:1-7).This passage is extremely surprising for it seems to counsel absolute obedience on the part of Christians to civil power. In fact it is a command that runs through the New Testament. ’I urge that supplications, prayers, intersessions and thanksgiving be made for all men, for kings and for all those in high position, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.’ wrote apostle Paul (I Tim.2:1-2).Similarly apostle Peter(I Pet.3:13-17) also counseled ‘Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Honour all men, love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the emperor.’ There was only one occasion when the earlier Christians refused to obey civil authorities when they were prevented from preaching the gospel. They said ‘we ought to obey God rather than men’(Acts.5:29).
Apostle Paul did use his privilege as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caeser for a fair trial. There are times when believers must use the law to protect themselves and the ministry. What is more expedient is to let the court take suo moto cognizance or file an FIR and waste time and resources considering the drag-out Indian legal system. However in the long run the battle is not ours but the Lord’s.( I Chrno.20:15)
Yours etc.,
Torist Mark,
Via email
No human rights in India!
Editor,
Alas, the 12-year-old Chattisgarh girl didn’t succeed in returning home alive! While walking for days from distant Telengana following instant lockdown without notice; starving hungry vulnerable flower Jamalo, working in chilli fields as child labour, collapsed to death few kilometres before reaching her home! Yet not a single teardrop is being shed for her in the “NEW INDIA” basking in the “glory” of “GOOD DAYS”!
In the same vein not even a momentary sigh need to be reserved for the hundreds of the poorest of the poor migrants breathing their last on highways and railway tracks while negotiating hundreds and thousands of kilometers towards home in malnourished state; no mental turbulence should be registered when Junaids to Pehlu Khans meet their last thanks to the “cow-vigilantes” on way home; not even a murmur of protest should arise when Afrazool Khan, migrant worker from Bengal, is burnt to death in Rajasthan by the opposers of mythical “Love Jihad” ! Surely those who had died in inhumanitarian queues in banks to withdraw their own hard-earned money following overnight ban of notes or inside Assam jails on the accusation of being “infiltrators” also held no right to return home safe and sound !
The human right to return alive seems like the monopoly of a few privileged people only.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee,
Kolkata -114