BY THE EDITOR
Suicide generally is committed by a person who is much disturbed due to failure in life and who is no longer normal in thought and in behaviour. In moments of depression and despair people who think that there is no more need for them to continue with their lives might take desperate actions and so commit suicide without thinking of the consequences.The roots of its origin are found in society itself because as the world progresses competition for education, jobs and businesses is intensifying. Those who do not succeed after many attempts begin to lose hope and will try to blame everybody except themselves. They soon avoid friends and relatives living a quiet and forlorn existence which may finally lead to dire consequences. Such characters need help with empathy and compassion and should not be shunned at all.
Suicide is tragic which creates a scar not only on the individual and the family but also on the community and the society at large. Great sociologists like Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) of France devoted their attention and studies on suicide which has claimed number of illustrious victims. He suggested several theories about the causes of suicide and the origins of religion.He then collected all relevant data and spent hours in analysing them. According to Durkheim, suicide victims were mostly lonely people who stayed aloof and avoided the crowd. The British Medical Journal recently reported that the maximum cases of suicide committed by adolescents in the world were Indians about half of them blaming friends and family members for their action. Some of the important reasons behind suicide amongst youths are the following – not scoring good marks or failure in exams, failure in love affairs, unemployment or underemployment, and unhappy family background. In this context Durkheim said that family and society play a vital role in bonding and uniting persons with love and compassion so that no one is ignored and left behind.Therefore the spirit of mutual love and respect makes everyone feel important and acceptable.
In order to create awareness among the public especially adolescents and youths on suicide September 10 each year is observed as World Suicide Prevention Day. The International Association Suicide Prevention(IASP) hosts the” Cycle Around the Globe” each year to raise awareness and be conscious of the challenges so that public will be enlightened and know that ‘suicide is preventable’. SAN-KER, Shillong will hold a rally in Don Bosco College, Byndihati, East Jaintia Hills district in collaboration with residents of East Jaintia Hills district on September 9 starting with cycle rally at 7 am from Don Bosco College, Byndihati to Good Shepherd Secondary school, Ladrymbai and back.Public discussion will follow at 10 am at the auditorium of Don Bosco College on the topic of suicide prevention.