TURA, April 24 � The Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE) has condemned the alleged police harassment against villagers of Rongmegre in South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
In a press release issued yesterday, the NGO stated that such harassments would only help in alienating the people from the police even further.
�We would like to record our strong retort against the indiscriminate police harassment at Rongmegre village. On April 16, a police team created havoc among the people of the village and assaulted the Headmaster of St Mary�s SSA LP School, Armingson G Momin, along with two students namely Rodrik Marak and Jibeus Sangma, without any reason�, alleged the ADE president Dalseng B Ch Momin.
Momin further alleged, �the police team also thrashed Robin Ch Marak, father of a student, with bamboo sticks and slapped him so hard that he is still facing difficulty in hearing. The team ruthlessly assaulted Aleng A Sangma, Kaibath R Sangma, Niksan M Sangma, while another Aleng A Sangma was critically injured in the assault and is still recovering. Several others were subjected to physical assault and mental harassment by the police personnel�, the release said.
�We strongly condemn this kind of police harassment in the name of law and order. We feel the deteriorating law and order situation in the region has led to the police becoming frustrated and the common people living in the region have become scapegoats for relieving their frustration�, asserted Momin.
The NGO said that for an end to militancy, the police have to take the people into confidence. �This blemish of our society could only be overcome through the cooperation between the authorities and the common people. Police can�t achieve their goals without the cooperation of the common people�, added Momin.
�It looks as though AFSPA has been enforced in Garo Hills. The NGO reminded that the State was not a police State and such emergency powers that violates fundamental rights, could not be invoked.
The NGO appealed to the Ministry Home Affairs to ponder over the events in Garo Hills and do something to resolve the issue. �History has shown time and again that patience and endurance of such harassment by government forces on the public has a limit�, stated Momin.
