By Albert Thyrniang
On July 19 last, this writer travelled from Jagiroad in Assam to Orlong Hada in Ri Bhoi district, Meghalaya. The two states in this stretch are divided by the river Umsiang. The distance between Tipatoli junction to the river is 4 kms. After crossing the bridge over the river, we arrive in the Meghalaya side of the border. The marked difference is that the 4 km road on the Assam side is a smooth drive. But once you cross over to Meghalaya you are in for a “rock ‘n’ roll” ride. The 7 km distance to Orlong Hada takes nearly an hour instead of 15 minutes. With managing the jerks I somehow rolled my camera and posted the videos on YouTube and Facebook.
The border MOU between Meghalaya and Assam has been dogged in controversy. Assam has the upper hand because in disputed areas, it is providing better roads, schools, health care and other facilities. In Umlaper, near Mawlasnai, Assam has built a complex consisting of outdoor and indoor stadia and a conference hall worth Rs 10 crore. Will Meghalaya invest this amount in a disputed zone? Meghalaya banks only on ethnic loyalties. The Garos, Khasis and Pnars in the border prefer Meghalaya. But how long will ethnicity hold out? The Khasis and Pnars who have government jobs in the border don’t want to shift to Meghalaya. Forget about government jobs. If Assam provides better road connections, marketing agricultural facilities, health care and education and assures their rights and a peaceful existence why should the Khasis, Pnars and Garos pledge allegiance to Meghalaya where everything is lacking. Why should ethnicity supersede livelihoods?
Back to the road! The 80 km road passes lead to Mawhati, Umsohlait and Umsning. It is a nightmare to travel on. Instead of a normal one hour it takes almost 6 hours. The road helped Dasakhiatbha Lamare to win the 2018 election. The super- rich NPP candidate took advantage of poor roads and under-development in the constituency and pledged to transform the border constituency with good roads and convert the Umsning-Jagiroad into a two-laned one. Now the road has further deteriorated. Unable to keep this and other promises the business tycoon’s son has now deserted the neglected Mawhati in favour of a less challenging Nongkrem. In the next election the contest in Mawhati will see a PHD holder, a doctor and some veterans. In my interaction with people at Umsiang Maiong I gathered that candidates were already visiting the villages. They are making the same promises. The residents are also sure that the next MLA will be no different.
My one week sojourn in Orlong Hada was at the Franciscan Eco-Spirituality centre. The impressive centre is lush with greenery. A lot of restoration work has been done there. The trees and vegetation that were cleared for ‘Jhum’ cultivation have been replaced by fruit and cash vegetation.
Many, including religious leaders, use this facility. Attendees murmur at the horrible road on the Meghalaya side of the border. But it ends right there. My Facebook account and YouTube channel invited just 350 odd views. But hopefully it has caught the attention of someone who matters. This piece could probably double the reach. Church men and women too spend a lot of time on social media but few use them to influence and create awareness, positively.
The indifferent attitude stems from the chasm between religion and reality. Religion is distanced from the condition of ordinary people. Religious leaders do not seem to be touched by the plight of the poor. For almost two months this scribe has been invisible in these columns. I thought it was better to do something more pressing than take a pen and paper. So it was decided to direct all attention to rendering relief to people ravaged by two successive floods in a month.
In my experience this time and earlier in 2014, in general, Church institutions, including leaders are apathetic to the sufferings of victims of natural disasters. There was hardly any inquiry about the calamities. There was no expression of concern. Except for a handful there was no solidarity. Spirituality is not moved by the reality. Prayers are not linked to life. Church going does not lead to sympathy and empathy for the distressed; devotion does not evoke sacrifice and generosity. They remain within the four walls of the Church.
Till the year 2000 the emphasis of the (Catholic) Church was evangelization – the proclamation of the Gospel or the Good News or the preaching of Christ. At the turn of the millennium the focus is on holiness for all Christians, including the laity in their respective work places. Holiness does not merely mean reciting prayers. It is not just going to church. It is not even only giving charity. It is living the Christian or/and human values wherever one is. It is a life of witness in the work place – in church, in schools, in hospitals, in offices, in factories, in business, in politics, etc. When Christians are urged to lead a life of holiness it means they do not compromise on certain values.
Now, do Christians live in accordance with Christian or human values in their everyday settings? Here in Meghalaya corruption is the talk of the town. Tainted money is derived from illegal coal mining and transportation. MeECL is riddled with scams. But who is manning the state? Who are the ministers? Are they not Christians? Who are the bureaucrats? Who are the officers in MeECL? Who are the police personnel who supposedly extort money from coal trucks? Who is running the coal business? Who owns the weigh bridges? Who offers and take bribes? The vast majority do! Are they not Christians? In churches, is honesty not taught? Is not earning a living by rightful means not schooled? Then, why the rampant corruption? That is why religion is divorced from real life. Has the Church failed the society? Or have individual Christians failed the Church and the society? Taking and offering bribes seems okay because they don’t happen inside the church.
Something is drastically wrong with education. When the state is dubiously ranked last in the sector you know it is a serious problem. When pay is released only after a continued protest you know something is not right. When increment of salary is effected only after a similar ‘dharna’ you know there is no salary policy. The arrangement with FASTOM is temporary. After a year or two the teachers will return to the streets in front of the Additional Secretariat. When there are so many categories of teachers with unequal pay you know you have challenges.
Why are we at the bottom? A vast majority of our schools are Christian schools. Even in government, deficit, ADHOC, SSA schools the heads and assistant teachers are largely Christians. Are they fully committed to their profession? Are they regular and punctual? Are there not absentees from duty? Are there not teachers who sub-contract their jobs? Are they primarily concerned with pay? Do not many teachers pay more attention to tuition than teaching in the classroom? Why the poor results in schools even though teachers get fat salaries? Neglect of duties is unchristian. Besides poor performance, Christian education has failed to produce honest leaders and citizens.
A person named John in New Zealand quit his full time ministry because he realised that worship, the music, the singing, the dancing, the clapping and the frenzy is only a Sunday affair. They make no impact on the preachers and the followers alike. The ‘goodliness’ learned and experienced in Church did not carry forward to their lives the rest of the week. So he left preaching and joined a company to see whether he can be a good Christian daily in his office. This example is for all human beings. A good life is lived outside the Church, mosque and temple. If we frequent the sacred places and do the contrary of what they represent, we live a life of duplicity and hypocrisy. Worship is of no use.
We long for a corruption-free government. We desire to see true lawmakers rather than businessmen and contractors in the Legislative Assembly. While MLAs own Lamborghinis, ordinary folks move tediously in dilapidated roads. We want to change the trend. It would be wonderful to see individuals like social activist, Angela Rangad and former pastor Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh in the Assembly. It would be refreshing if the new faces of Voice of the People (VPP) and other parties who seemingly mean business, win. But the task is cut out. The 2023 elections too will be a spectacle. The tamasha has already started. Crowds sing and dance along catchy election songs of parties and candidates. On the voting day, party workers will pass on the cash to the voters. We see nothing wrong in it. The church is far away. It is not a Sunday.
Someone opined that if Jesus were to read today’s newspapers, he would certainly be moved by the contents and would be furious at the indifference of those who claim to be his followers.
Food for thought!