Justice is finally served!
Editor,
As the High Court of Meghalaya closes the curtain on the seventeen year-long “Good Samaritan” drama played by two skillful murderers viz. Bernard Lyngdoh Phawa and Bonie Lyngdoh Phawa of Pynthor Umkhrah, by awarding them both with life imprisonment, family and friends of 21 year old mass communication student of St. Anthony’s college, Biplab Das, hailed the conviction as a momentous victory for justice.
Welcoming the recent conviction by the HC, well-wishers of Biplab Das had also expressed that the verdict is a strong warning to perpetrators of such crimes that no one can escape justice, even if they have influential personalities/politicians behind them to delay the judgement or cover-up for their crimes. Even though conviction will not return victims of such crimes to their families or erase the past, such verdicts can help counter the voices of those who either deny these horrific crimes or glorify those who committed them.
The Court has both the power and responsibility to bring justice to such victims and demonstrate the value of a human life. We urge the judges to use that power and not let such cases fall into the pattern of no action. With every death of an innocent human being at the hands of criminal masterminds like the uncle-nephew duo Bernard and Bonie, there are two real tragedies: the death itself, and the inaction and delays that follow it. The time has come to end that pattern.
Through the pages of your esteemed paper, we would also like to express our shock, anger and disappointment at learning that the lower court had previously in 2019 (under the influence of some political players) delayed the judgement and covered-up the heinous crime by completely overlooking crucial evidence/statements and giving the two accused murderers a clean chit. It is about time that the Court also initiates legal proceedings against such corrupt judges. Take swift and decisive action in charging such people as justice delayed is always justice denied!
Yours etc.,
Dr. Pooja Sharma,
Dr. Roshni Das Gupta & Prof. Jason Lyngdoh
(Ex-students of
St. Anthony’s College Currently working at
New Delhi; originally from Laban, Shillong)
Via email
Women in the Dorbar Shnong
Editor,
A Khasi woman is the guardian and preserver of the family goods, but even so Khasi women are denied a seat at the Dorbar shnong. So the “Lympung Ki Seng Kynthei,” led by some of Meghalaya’s influential women, has called for representation of women in the Dorbar Shnong’s executive committee. But it has not received any serious consideration. Former CEM KHADC says that a social committee has been formed to study the matter. He says the Council neither accepts or rejects the proposal but it needs to be examined because it is a sensitive issue. He further stated that Khasi custom and tradition allows only men in the Dorbar Shnong.
Chyne further mentioned that although certain Dorbar Shnongs have allowed women to vote in the election for the headman and executive committee, the law does not accept such participation.
The general secretary of Ka Lympung ki Seng Kynthei, said that the matter has been raised with the KHADC since 2011 and so they have asked the KHADC to frame laws in accordance with the changing times, yet till today there seems to be no change.
When visiting Meghalaya, foreign academics are always perplexed as to why there are so few female legislators in the state assembly. They don’t really comprehend why it’s so difficult to get elected to the legislature until they learn that women are prohibited by “tradition” from running for office in the Dorbar Shnong, the institution at the bottom of the political food chain.
Yes, as Khasi people we live in a matrilineal society but even so this society isn’t as women-centric as it claims to be. Including women in the Dorbar Shnong is a step in helping women. If we simply take the example of health in our state, we will find that women and children’s health and nutrition is incredibly poor. Yet the men don’t seem to understand why. This is because it takes a woman to understand the plight of another woman. As I have stated in my introduction, Khasi women are the preservers and guardians of the family goods. They protect what is meant to be theirs, yet when it comes to politics women are seen as lesser beings as most seem to think that lineage and the passing of last names are enough rights for a woman to have in our “matrilineal society”.
If we as a people of the Khasi society do not include women into the conversation and into the big discussions, that too in the 21st century, then when will we?
Yours etc.,
Deiphishisha Lyngdoh Talang,
Via email