Monday Musing
[ Amar Sangno ]
Our hearts collectively bled after seeing helpless patients and innocent medical attendants lying on pools of blood and other staffers running for life helter-skelter at the Seppa district hospital. One would have never imagined that patients who needed palliative care would be gruesomely murdered on the hospital beds.
Four persons, including a toddler, fell to accused’s dao (chege), and seven others sustained injuries in the machete mayhem. Thanks to Inspector Minli Geyi’s heroic act and timely intervention, despite sustaining grievous injury, many more lives were saved that day. Geyi reportedly reached the spot within four minutes, just after he got the report from the medical superintendent.
For a moment, Seppa hospital incident was a replication of the American shooting culture, where shooters often target and kill innocent people in malls, and children and teachers in schools. Though the US authorities cannot regulate their gun law, at least they deploy security personnel around the school buildings during class hours.
The horrific machete mayhem at the Seppa hospital has deeply shaken every resident in the district to the core; at the same time, it badly exposed our security apparatus at the government establishments, especially at hospital premises, religious institutes, schools, etc.
In the aftermath of the horrific incident, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Nigam issued an executive order prohibiting carrying of firearms, local dao (chege) and other lethal weapons, etc, in marketplaces and the government establishment in the district. This order was aimed to ensure public safety and prevent the misuse of arms and ammunition.
Following the knee-jerk reactionary move on the part of district administration, we can see that paramilitary forces (CRPF) have been deployed round the clock at the Seppa hospital premises. Where is the security apparatus for other establishments?
The home ministry has issued a standing order that hospitals with high footfalls install CCTV cameras in the blind spots and security audits be conducted with the DC and the SP. Mock drills for security are also to be regularly conducted. The Centre has asked the states to ensure enhanced security and safer working environment for healthcare workers.
Did our state authorities ever carry out security audits on hospitals and other security sensitive government entities?
The Seppa incident has sparked debate on our cultural symbol machete (dao) and how it could be misused by any psychotic person like accused Nikam Sangbia of the Seppa hospital incident.
However, random blanket ban on carrying daos without specifying the areas and culturally significant occasions may have a pernicious effect on long-machete wielding tribes under the larger Tani group, and others who take pride in carrying around machetes in their day-to-day life.
The symbol of one’s cultural pride (dao) could be a reason for public insecurity and safety to others, especially persons from non-machete wielding tribes.
“The East Kameng Social Welfare and Cultural Organisation (EKSWCO) totally agrees that carrying dao or other lethal weapons should be strictly prohibited in the government establishments. There should be a blanket ban on carrying a dao into government establishments such as schools, hospitals and other govt offices,” said EKSWCO chairman Raya Flago.
Nowadays, only a few elderly men from the villages carry daos around. They can be exempted from carrying around daos only at marketplaces, as for them it’s not only a pride but a cultural or traditional habit. For example, a Sikh man is allowed to carry a kirpan – a ceremonial sword or dagger – as an article of faith under the Sikh rehat maryada (code of conduct). This exemption is granted under the Arms Act, 1959, and the Arms Rules, 1962.
Sajolang Elite Society president Johny Miji contested on idea of a blanket ban on carrying around daos. “Dao is a weapon or symbol of tribal people’s livelihood since time immemorial. It is traditional and a most useful weapon in the agricultural domain. A complete ban on carrying daos may affect tribal people whose livelihood is completely dependent on agriculture,” Miji observed.
However, he agreed that it may be prohibited in some specific institutions.
“I am with the government’s standing order. I am against carrying around daos in public places. Though our dao symbolises traditional representation in festivals, we need to restrict large numbers of attendants carrying around daos, as it gives insecurity to others. Of course, small daos for work purpose may be allowed to be carries,” Itanagar Podi Barbi Festival Celebration Committee-2024 chairman Tapir Tapen said.
Tagin Cultural Society president Larji Rigia has similar views on banning dao in public places. Rigia maintained that he agrees with the government order on banning of dao and other lethal weapons in government establishments. However, a complete ban on carrying daos may affect cultural or religiously significant occasions like nyeda, hilo (yullo), and festivals like Nyokum, Si-Donyi, Podi Barbi and Chingdan, where we celebrate important traditional rituals and carrying daos is compulsory.
The sense of insecurity among the government employees, especially at works department, is not a new story. Self-styled contractors or youths often walk into the government offices with their firearms dangling from their torso, psychologically intimidating the officers to achieve their purposes. Despite being openly threatened and intimidated, no government officer dares to go to the police as they know it would not yield any result.
Ensuring public safety and giving a sense of security in the government offices is the foremost and fundamental duty of any successive government. May the state government, especially the home department, learn a great lesson from the Seppa incident, as the horrific incident was a wakeup call for everyone.
