SHILLONG:
The Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) has condemned the attack on two Kerala students by some local youths at Jaiaw and has urged the law enforcement authorities to bring the perpetrators to book at the earliest.
“TUR expresses its solidarity with our friends from Kerala and demands that Meghalaya Police and administration do a quick investigation and arrest the perpetrators of this cowardly act and allow the law to take its own course,” TUR leader Angela Rangad said, adding that such acts lead to fear mongering among non-local communities in the state and hence, that can’t be allowed in Meghalaya.
TUR also appreciated the local citizens who opposed the assault and defended the young students from the miscreants, which, TUR said, is proof that most of the citizens of Shillong and Meghalaya do not condone such criminal and communal acts.
“But we know that such targeted attacks on non-local workers, medical representatives, vendors, construction workers, delivery people and others have also happened in the recent past that has created a feeling of insecurity amongst the citizens of Shillong,” Rangad acknowledged.
Stating that often such attacks get away unnoticed, Rangad said, criminals, who are violating people’s human rights and are bringing a bad reputation to the state and community, must be prosecuted.
Acknowledging the anxieties that small tribes face about losing their culture, identity and livelihood, Rangad said that these anxieties, however, cannot be a reason to engage in crime against non-indigenous communities. She further said that protections offered by the Indian Constitution for indigenous community is not in any way opposed to the rights of peace and security that non indigenous people and workers are supposed to enjoy in our state.
“Moreover, it is worrying that laws that offer protection for the life, land and livelihood of the indigenous people are being weakened by indigenous elites for their self-aggrandising capitalist greed,” she added.
The TUR leader said her organisation believes that a developed society is one where minorities, ethnic, religious and of other identities feel secure and are able to contribute to the development of society as a whole.
She also urged the dorbar shnongs, where such incidents have happened, to actively seek justice for the victims and work towards creating an inclusive culture of peace.