SANITY IN AN INSANE WORLD - SAN KER

IT’S A MAD MAD WORLD! Or why should anyone ever exploit, abuse, neglect and ridicule “extraordinary people” coping with “extraordinary situations?” But that’s the general attitude of societies all around the world against people with mental illness.

In this rather insane situation, Dr. Sandy Syiem brings in balance and discards the notion that mental illness is perpetual and therefore anyone fighting with such ailments must be treated differently. He states: “mental illness is curable” and has been demonstrating it, with compassion and love, over several decades now.

After Dr. Syiem completed his doctorate from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi back in the 80s,  like all his peers wanted to practise in a Metropolitan city or migrate abroad, but perhaps his fate was pre-destined.

Dr. Syiem recalls that when his brother expired after his studies, his parents insisted that he return home and so he did. After his return to Shillong Dr. Syiem took up a Government job and worked all over the State, looking after the mentally ill patients in different government institute, one such institute was infamously called the “Mawlai Mental Jail.”  

“This was a high security prison for dangerous insurgents from Nagaland, which was later turned into an asylum for the mentally ill,” Dr. Syiem said.

He said that the mentally ill were cramped inside dark cells without ventilation and were treated more as animals than human beings. Dr. Syiem tried to bring in changes, but was stonewalled by bureaucratic red-tapism and so he quit and that’s when he decided to start working on his own and founded the San Ker Rehabilitation Centre.

Dr. Sandy Syiem

The centre is an institute to look after the large number of “uncared mentally ill patients” of the State and is nestled amongst dense pine trees and beautiful surroundings at Mawroh.

“We began with the barest minimum in a cowshed and build the institute from scratch, taking loans in June 1990,” Dr. Syiem said. Now it is a 90 bed facility centre for male and female patients. Along with medication, there are group, individual and vocational therapy sessions. There is, moreover, the counselling sessions for the inmates as well as the families.

In the centre there is a basketball court and also some facilities to play sports. As soon as Dr. Syiem gets inside the centre the inmates surround him speaking about their problems, aspirations and desire to get back home. He consoles and advises each one of them, hugging them individually like a father-figure.

During this round of the centre, Dr. Syiem proudly displays some of the paintings that some of the inmates have created and are now mounted on the walls of the different corners of the institute. He says that many inmates are creatively inclined towards painting and they give colour to their emotions through their beautiful work. He also invites local artists and conducts painting workshops from time to time.

At the centre there are mentally ill patients from all over the region and speaks volume of the kind of importance state governments associate with mental illness. Take the case of a young rape victim from Assam. She has been handed over to the centre by a Government agency from the neighbouring State as there are “no facilities” to treat the girl in that State fighting mental imbalance after the rape.

Ironically, many of the patients who recover and are discharged are not taken back by their families. Geeta Roy, who was left at the centre years back now sits at the centre’s vocational training centre and makes beautiful flowers out of pine cones. “Mein ghar jana chati hu, legin koi mujhe lene nehi ata.” (I want to go home, but nobody from my family is coming to take me back), the frail woman says with remorse.

Dr. Syiem says that he has approached many times to find her family, but to no avail. There are many others who have been simply forgotten by the family. There is this stigma and people are sometimes ashamed to recognize one of their family members being mentally ill, Dr. Syiem says.

He adds that the society’s perception towards the mentally ill patient is stereotypical. Apart from the usual social stigma attached with mentally ill patient, women are worse off. Mentally ill women patients are victims of all forms of exploitation, including rape. He adds that in the first instance most of the mentally ill patients have undergone extreme physical and mental duress in one way or the other, resulting in their breakdown.

And when after recovery the society rejects them they become despondent and desperate further aggravating their situations. Moreover, with only a handful of NGOs working in this field and little Government assistance a large number of such patients ends up on the streets to be hounded and exploited from all quarters.

He further says that people generally don’t talk about mental illness. And they go for treatment quietly, be it at the hands of quacks or faith-healers. “They come here when all other options have been exhausted,” Dr Syiem said.

Interestingly, Dr. Syiem believes that awareness against mental illness is more pronounced in the rural sectors than in the urban areas. He says that in the villages it is not possible to hide anyone suffering from mental illness as the societies are very close-knit, but in the urban centres the case is the opposite.

Meanwhile, there is no authentic data to number the mentally ill patients in the country. So policies and programmes are not accordingly formulated. Moreover, research and studies on mental illness is woefully poor and so is the awareness level amongst the people.

For example, mental illness is associated with violent behaviour, which is necessarily not correct. People coping with diseases like Schizophrenia and Maniac depression can be extremely thoughtful and intelligent.

On the legislation front, the Mental Health Act, 1987 (which replaced the Lunacy Act of 1912) came into force only in 1993. This Act’s objective is to protect the mentally ill from exploitation and abuse and provide them the rights to live as equal citizens.

But this Act has only been cosmetically implemented in States around the country. Experts say that this Act needs to be enforced in letter and spirit and needs further amendments to suit modern science and conditions.

Dr. Syiem has been a vocal advocate for brining in changes in the State in terms of mental health care and says that the State Government needs to do more for the mentally ill in terms of budget allocation and legislation implementation. He points out that in the Meghalaya health budget, just 2 per cent is earmarked for mental health care and has been urging the Government time and again to increase this allocation.

For Dr. Syiem life has been a challenge, right from fighting societal stereotype, government indifference and on his personal front too as a Cancer survivor. Having being diagnosed with Cancer in 1998, he successfully fought it only for the disease to recur in 2001, which he again fought back and recovered. “This is not my fight but of many others and I believe there is a divine grace which has enabled me to do so,” Dr. Syiem says.

On his future plans the doctor has prepared an elaborate blue print for expansion of the centre, which is now run by a trust. There are plans to set up a 100 bedded centre with a hospice and other facilities. He says getting fund for the project is a constraint and has been running to the Government, philanthropic agencies and individuals, for help.

            

Centuries back, Vincent Van Gogh, whose mental instability is now legendary, with some instances being romanticized to a certain degree of sadism, could not sell a single painting during his lifetime as these were taunted and scoffed off as work of a “mad man!”

However Vincent Van Goh once stated “some of the colours I have depicted are not locally true, however they (colours) portray some inherent emotions.” Sadly, many short-sighted individuals and institutions of our present society are still being unable to see and understand these “beautiful minds.”

CMJ (CHANDRA MOHAN JHA) ARRESTED IN BIHAR

The elusive Chancellor of CMJ University, Chandra Mohan Jha, who was arrested yesterday in Bihar, is being brought to the State capital here today by Meghalaya Police.

“Transit remand has been granted and CM Jha is being brought here from Bihar today, subject to availability of ticket,” Director General of Police, Peter JP Hanaman said.

Jha was arrested from Jhanjharpur in Bihar’s Madhubani district where he has filed his candidature for the Lok Sabha elections as an Independent candidate. The Chancellor of the controversial University, named after himself, has been on the run ever since his bail application was rejected by the Supreme Court.

“We have handed over CM Jha to Meghalaya police on a transit remand and he has been taken away,” a senior police official from Madhubani district of Bihar, said.

Jha after issuance of the arrest warrant eluded the police and was suspected to have fled to Bihar his home town. However, he did not surface until now when he was campaigning for the elections in the district.

Jha is wanted in a case related to allegedly issuing fake PhD degrees from his University, which was established by the State Government under the CMJ University Act, 2009, to students around the country and even abroad.

The issue first surfaced when the then Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary as the Visitor of the University in May 20013 found the irregularities in the functioning of the University. On further probe it was allegedly found that fake PhD degrees were being issued to students and was functioning as a “degree mill.”

The Raj Bhavan thereafter filed a criminal complaint with the police against the University and the Chancellor. The Raj Bhavan pointed out that the University awarded PhD degrees to 434 students and enrolled another 490 students in 2012-2013. Many of these students are from Assam and other northeastern States.

The Governor said the University awarded PhD degrees even in subjects like Bodo and Punjabi languages “where guides and faculty are not easily available”. The number of faculty members with PhD degree as furnished by the University is “inaccurate,” Mooshahary had said.

Mooshahary observed that the University repeatedly acted in contravention of Section 52 of the CMJ University Act 2009 in respect of maintenance of standards and other related matters applicable to private Universities,” and therefore recommended its dissolution.

The case was handed over to the CID, which began probe. During the investigations the CID sealed the University and confiscated computers and as many as 10000 PhD theses from its campus. Several officials of the University were arrested and arrest warrant issued against Jha.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court in its order has left it on the State Government to decide on the dissolution of the University, as recommended by Mooshahary.  The State education has been not taken a decision so far and is holding hearing of students from the University on their degrees, from February this year. 

MEGHALAYA WITNESSES HISTORIC VOTERS' TURNOUT IN LOK SABHA ELECTION 2014

Meghalaya, in India's northeast corner, has recorded a historic 78.13 percent voters’ turnout in Garo Hills during Wednesday’s polling for the Tura Lok Sabha seat, moreover, the States’ overall voters’ turnout of 69.03 per cent is the second highest figure recorded in Lok Sabha election history.

This Garo Hills figure is the highest voters’ turnout in Meghalaya’s Lok Sabha election history that began in 1977 after attaining statehood in 1972. The previous highest figure was 75. 45 recorded in 1998 when the NDA came to power.

The overall State voters’ turnout is the second highest figure, after the 1998 Lok Sabha election voters’ turnout of 74.38 per cent.

Chief Electoral Officer, Prashant Naik, releasing the final figures said today, that overall the State recorded a voters’ turnout of 69.03 per cent, which is an increase of 5 per cent from the last Lok Sabha elections of 2009.

In fact, in the past ten Lok Sabha elections that were held from 1977, the average voters’ turnout in Meghalaya has been 58.44 per cent. So a turnout above 60 per cent is normally considered good by the State elections department.

With such an election history and coupled with the militancy problem in Garo Hills, the region’s turnout has been beyond expectations. A number of factors contributed to this rise and the commendable awareness campaign undertaken by the Election department to motivate voters is one of them, as well as the contesting candidates – Purno Sangma from the National People’s Party and Daryl Momin from the Congress.

But, apart from the campaigns and candidates, the people in the militancy-infested region did seem to exercise the power at their disposal more forcefully and try bringing about positive changes in the region and their lives. There were 5.9 lakh registered voters for the Tura Seat, of which, 4.6 lakh voters exercised their right to franchise.

In Shillong constituency, 63.58 per cent cast their vote. The turnout in Shillong is the third highest for Lok Sabha elections. In 1998, 73.70 per cent cast their vote followed by 72.51 per cent in 1983. There were 9.8 lakh registered voters for the Shillong seat, of which, 6.2 lakh voters cast their ballot. Sitting Congres candidate Vincent Pala is seeking re-election in a multi-corned contest which includes Paul Lyngdoh (UDP), BJP’s Shibun Lyngdoh, Aam Admi Party candidate, Amerington Kharshiing, Richard D Shabong of the CPI and three independent candidates – Prechard BM Basaiawmoit, Denis Siangshai and  Ivoryna Shylla.

Overall, there were 15.66 lakh registered voters in Meghalaya and 10. 80 lakh cast their vote. Female voters with 70.09 per cent outnumbered their male counterpart (67.95 per cent) in casting their votes.

Amongst the 60-Assembly segments, Pynursla in East Khasi Hills recorded the lowest voters’ turnout with 52.65 per cent and the highest was recorded in Mahendraganj constituency, in West Garo Hills, with 86.40 per cent.

Meanwhile, all the polling officials have returned to their respective headquarters and the EVMs have been kept in strong rooms in 13 centres across the State fitted with CCTVs, Naik informed. (Eom)

ELECTION INDIA - Is India at the threshold of a Progressive Era like that of the US?

Is India at the threshold of a Progressive Era like that of the US?

India is at the crossroads - more at a multiple-way intersection without traffic lights, police and surely no Zebra crossing.  However, more Indians, than ever before, would take this road. They would brave the onslaught of the no-holds-barred political traffic and predators – some would succumb – in this quinquennial migration of Indians’ search for greener pastures in one of the greatest spectacles on Earth called the Indian General Elections.

Along with the 81.5 crore voters are 2.3 crore new young voters, who are now strong and capable enough to take this journey and forever have their indelible mark in Nation building. The new voters constituting 10 per cent of the total voters  is the highest number of such voters in India’s election history. A lot many of these new voters aren't the gullible kind any longer, but are educated well-informed and therefore would make informed choices and demand for their rights. They are already seeking answers for the chaos and muck around and demanding a clean-up job – for confirmation run through some of the social media sites. These days a good many guys in the rural area have mobile phones loaded with Facebook, Whatsup etc. This is precisely the story of the great migration that Nations undertake through time in their journey towards a State of development.

Take the example of one of the most powerful Nations on the Planet - the United States. During the 1890s, the United States was growing as an Industrialized Nation. Factories, business houses, banks, roads, ports, railways were being created at a furious pace.  And with this developmental rage the ugly heads of corruption and crony capitalism rose, labourers were crushed under the burden of greed, women and race were disregarded and humiliated, environment was abused. Something similar is happening in India now, if we factor in the local conditions and issues. There are  more industries being developed, there are talks of corporatizing railways, ports, airports, creating new roads and a whole lot of new ideas.

The period from 1890 to 1920 was the Progressive Era in American history. A number of people and organizations rose to fight together against the prevalent criminal-chaos and contributed in America’s path breaking reforms during that era. One of the campaigns was the Efficiency Movement. The movement tried to identify old rotting ways and introduce modern means in the political, social, economic and personal fronts. It was during this period that women first got their right to suffrage in 1920 when an organization called the Women’s Suffrage Association continued a sustained campaign to allow women to vote. In 1920 the American Constitution ratified the Nineteenth Amendments and declared men and women are equal in terms of suffrage.

India   is at war to make the country a safer place for women against perverts and those misogynists who have failed to provide equal space for women in social, political and the economic arena. There is the women's reservation bill. (However, it is debatable if reservations on the basis of caste, race, religion or gender is the answer or would further polarize Indians from Indians. The more viable option would be reservation on the basis of Human Poverty Index.) Nonetheless, 49 per cent of the voters are women, who would give their verdict during this election.

It was during the Progressive Era, several political reforms were undertaken such as adoption of Direct Primary. The Seventeenth Amendment to the American Constitution in 1917, enabled people to elect US senators directly, rather than being selected by corrupt State legislatures. This move gave people more say on the kind of candidates they wished to see in the elections. People were also encouraged to drop proposals in ballot boxes for new legislation, with adequate number of people’s signatures, so that referendum could be undertaken on these proposals. Recalling of non-performing candidates was also introduced.

How wonderful it would be if political parties in India hold elections amongst it cadres  for allotting tickets, rather than doling them to the biggest buyer, the notorious crook or someone who has the birthright on tickets because of having a particular surname. Moreover, one of the scourges of the Indian democracy is the use of “unaccounted” money during elections. There have been proposals for political parties to come under the purview of the Right to Information. Ironically, some parties which preach about the RTI and its efficacy aren’t the best practitioners of this legislation and refuse to come under its preview. 

However, one of the major election reforms undertaken in India recently was introduction of Non Of The Above or NOTA option. This button is a great step in participatory democracy. It has given the freedom to disenchanted voters to come to the polling station and press the button in case he/she dislikes all the participating candidates – chances are a lot will do that. But the Election Commission needs to spell out what steps it would take if the number of votes cast in favour of NOTA is more than the votes cast in favour of individual candidates. Re-election? Anna Hazare and his movement has to be credited for this reform and of course the Supreme Court. Hazare is seeking for recall just like the US, but again the local conditions have to be factored in for implementing such a proposal. He has led a historic movement for Lokayukta, that the Ombudsman would look into corruption in public spaces.

Another important aspect of the Progressive Era was the Muckrakers and the advent of new media houses. The Muckrakers were a group of reform-minded journalists who constantly carried out investigative report on the industries and brought to the public notice about the corrupt business practices and also on the issues of labour rights and consumer protection. It was during this era that new guidelines were set to regulate big business houses and industries. The US federal government with the assistance of newly passed legislations, such as Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 and Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 sued big business houses for monopolizing businesses and also pressed charges for selling stocks that could lead to monopoly - did we hear something similar in recent times about corruption in big business houses in India?

Moreover, the US federal government under the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, the banking sector was regulated by monitoring the use of deposits and protecting the interest of the depositors. It was during this period that a tax reform regime was introduced through the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution. The Amendment, for the first time, made it mandatory for the wealthy to pay Income Tax.

In India tax collection is still a big challenge. Reform in the tax regime is long overdue and a relook is needed on getting the wealth stashed abroad illegally, what is infamously called as black money. An “Industrialised” Nation like the US recently put pressure on the Swiss Government on its notorious banking secrecy law and managed to dig out names of US citizens by threatening to take legal action. Switzerland buckled. Can India take similar steps? Sure it can! At the top of the campaign to bring back black money stashed abroad has been the vocal Yoga Guru, Baba Ramdev.

Moreover, during the Progressive Era the US federal government also carried out sweeping reforms and enacted law for minimum wages for labourers and regulating working hours, fixing minimum wages for women, who were not paid equally as men for the same work performed and abolishing child labour, albeit it happened in some States initially. It was the Muckrakers who provided vital information and evidences for the government to act.

Although in India we don’t’ have the Muckrakers, but in recent years the mushrooming media houses have acted as a commendable watchdog. Some of the major scams such as Adarsh, Commonwealth Games, 2G and Coal mine scam and others were exposed with the help of the media and other agencies.  The advent of the 24X7 media channels – save some of the cacophony and chaos and some not above suspicion at times - have been a blessing for the masses.

When it comes to environment protection, the progressive Era showed the way with US President Theodore Roosevelt passing a landmark decree in which about 200 million acre (roughly the size of France and Britain) was set aside as National Forest. It was during this period that Roosevelt established five National Parks and barred lumber companies and ranchers from using public land illegally.

In India there has been rampant abuse of its environment over the past few decades. The Rivers are being polluted and trees are being felled randomly despite a historic judgment by the Supreme Court to stop timber felling. Moreover, the mining industry has violated environmental norms time and again and has got away due to a strong lobby in the corridors of power. The creation of the National Green Tribunal is a welcome decision of the Supreme Court, which now hears cases exclusively related to the environment, but more needs to be done in terms of legislation and prosecution.

Although the conditions in the two largest democracies are worlds apart, but there are also similarities that India and Indians can draw inspiration from America. Moreover, India has the advantage of its vast Human resource some doing outstanding work. It is an Indian who is working on an invisible cloak, the stuff of a science fiction. It is again an Indian who has invented a paper microscope and there are a million such talents and therefore it gives all the more conviction in quoting US President Roosevelt from the Progressive Era who said “believe you can and you are half way there.” (eom)

INFIGHTING IN MEGHALAYA CONGRESS BEFORE LOK SABHA ELECTIONS

With some Meghalaya Congress leaders readying for hara-kiri during this Lok Sabha election and sabotaging the chances of the Congress candidates, the party High Command has directed State leaders to “employ all might to neutralize the saboteurs.”

An overtly strong worded letter was written by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary, Secretary

Luizinho Falerio to the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress president, DD Lapang on the internal strife.

The Congress General Secretary said that it has come to the knowledge that some “Congress leaders are instigating Congress workers” to sabotage the success of Congress candidates which is being viewed seriously by the High Command.

Mincing no words, Falerio directed Lapang: “You are requested to employ all the might at your command to neutralize the saboteurs so that the Party wins every Parliamentary seat.”

The Congress has put up its sitting candidate, Vincent Pala for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat. On the other hand it has given ticket to first-timer Daryl Momin, grandson of Meghalaya’s first Chief Minister Williamson Sangma, for the Tura Lok Sabha seat.

There has been considerable squabbling for tickets in both the constituencies. There was a strong lobby, which was not in favour of giving Pala the ticket, which included senior Congress leaders. For the Tura seat, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s brother Zenith Sangma was also in the race.

The Shillong seat is a traditional Congress bastion. The Tura seat has been in the grip of Purno Sangma  and whichever political party he represented for several decades now. So for both the seats the Congress is fighting a tough battle, now with the infighting, the task before the party is cut out.

Meanwhile, Falerio further said to Lapang that he has to inspire the leaders and workers for their “unity and solidarity” so that the party candidates emerge successfully.

“Any complaints against them (Congress leaders or workers) of having indulged in anti-party work during elections and any non-compliance with these instructions, will lead to serious disciplinary action against the saboteurs even when the election process is on,” Faleiro warned.

On the other hand, the AICC has also rushed in its secretary, in-charge Meghalaya, Vijaylakshmi Sadho and has held a series of meeting between party workers and leaders to diffuse the crisis during the past couple of days.

The crisis has deepened to such an extent that the AICC secretary is staying put here and would hold meetings with party workers for another couple of days.

CORRUPTION NEPOTISM EVERYWHERE, BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS LOST

There are two ways: either rue about the growing corruption and grumble that nothing is going to change or be part of the change, like local Taxi driver, C Jyrwa.

It’s not every day a newspaper advertisement appears about a found wallet, stashed with money and the finder eager on returning it. But, Jyrwa did exactly that, not once but twice.

The local Taxi driver, the family bread winner with wife and four children, is trying to return a wallet for days to its rightful owner and he has taken the pains to publish advertisements in the local daily.

Jyrwa, from Mawphlang in the city suburbs, found the dropped wallet in his taxi, some days back while plying in the State Capital. “The wallet was stashed with about Rs. 6000 in it. There were also documents. So my brother wants to return it,” Jyrwa’s sister, Susan, said.

What is ironic, and typical of the corruption around, is that “many people” called up to stake claim to the wallet.  “These weren't the owners of the wallet, but they were claiming it and so we had to put up another advertisement to find the real owner,” Susan continued.

But how would she and her brother track the real owner? It is easy. In fact, together with the documents there are photographs of the person (Mr. Dako Tayum,) so Jyrwa knows exactly who to hand over the wallet and the other found materials.

“My daughter once lost her wallet, without any valuables, and it was returned by the finder. We know that joy of being around with honest people, so we also want Tayum to experience that joy,” Susan said.

Like other States in India, Meghalaya has its fair share of scams and corruption and the local media is replete with such reports of nepotism and corruption having negative bearing on the masses.

However, on a brighter note, a survey by Reader’s Digest last year put Mumbai in India as the second “honest city” of the world after the magazine’s reporters dropped 192 wallets in public places of cities around the world, stashed with $50. 12 wallets were dropped in one city.

The cities included New York, London Moscow Mumbai Amsterdam, Berlin, Bucharest, Budapest, Helsinki, Lisbon, Ljubljana, Madrid, Prague, Rio De Janeiro, Warsaw and Zurich.

Helsinki, capital of Finland, turned to be the most honest city with 11 out of the 12 wallets returned. Mumbaikers were second on the list with 9 out of the 12 wallets returned. The other cities include

Jyrwa’s example is a lesson to many who unashamedly claim what is not theirs, especially those corrupt individuals in the corridors of power. 

The simple advertisement has a profound meaning, outweighing the content in some of the news about corruption and speaks out loud and clear – there are good Samaritans around and not everything is lost. 

WORLD BANK TO GIVE GRANTS TO NE ORGANISATIONS

The World Bank would provide Rs. 94 lakh as grant to any 10 organisations from Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram, which helps the poor through their innovative services.

In this competitive grant programme, organisations must apply to the World Bankwww.dm-india.com and the selection of the organisations would be done by a jury of development experts drawn from India and abroad, World Bank officials said here today.

Launching the 2014 India Development Marketplace (DM) here, the team leader of the programme, Drew Von Glahn said that proposals are being sought from organisations working for the poor and having at least two years experience in their relevant fields.  “Development Marketplace would award 10 organisations with grant funding up to Rs. 94 each,” Glahn said.

The DM leader said that the World Bank has set certain guidelines before selecting and awarding the grant and added that a thorough background check of the organisations would be undertaken by the team of experts.

Citing the example of Boat clinic on the River Brahmaputra, run by the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research, he said that one of the criteria of the selection process is the innovation involved in the service delivery. 

“The objective of the programme is to identify solutions that have a clear social impact and show the potential to be scaled, replicated or mainstreamed with support from investors and corporate social responsibility programme, amongst others,” Glahn said.

He further added that the funding would cover a period of two years and the World Bank would constantly monitor and support use of the fund during the period. “This programme is more of an equity investment than a grant and we expect knowledge and social base returns,” Glahn added.