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Front Page >> Editorials > Story

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The Ending Month
There is something special about the month of December. Not only is it the last month of the year, but to many of the hill people who are predominantly Christians, December is also the month of Christmas and it is the time of the month, when villagers in the hill districts come out in their best fineries. All the district headquarters of the hill districts, such as Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel, Tamenglong and Churachandpur wear a new look during this month and despite the chill that can sometimes numb the bones, December is the month for festivities and get togethers. 

Students who have left the warm hearth of their homes to pursue studies outside the State come home during this period to celebrate Christmas and there is definitely something beautiful in this. Tillers of the soil, who toiled through out the year bring out their savings and hard earned cash to buy goods and new clothes for their family members. December is also the time when the harvests of the year are reaped and whether the crops are good or bad, there is an air of cheerfulness amongst the people. 
The scene too is no different in the other districts which are dominated by non-Christians, particularly the Vaishnavite Hindus. It may not be about Christmas but about the general air of having accomplished something in the year gone by. The crops have been harvested and it is time for other green vegetables to be planted and harvested. The market place, particularly, Khwairamband bazar is full of fresh green vegetables that can tickle the palate of very man and the price of the vegetables is just right. Indeed there is something about December that makes it special.

If December comes, then can New Year be far away ? This is the time of the year when gifts are exchanged and greeting cards are sent to friends and relatives. However December should not mean only a time of festivities and merry making. For Christians, December should mean not only celebrating the birth of Lord Jesus Christ but to look back at the year gone by and study whether they have done anything unchristian that would have made Jesus Christ weep. Lungnila Elizabeth was kidnapped and found brutally murdered a few days after she was picked up by her kidnappers on November 4 from near her school. 

Karbi-Anglong district in Assam continues to burn in the backdrop of the ethnic cleansing drive launched by both the Kuki Revolutionary Army and the UPDS (anti-talk faction). Children and women are not spared and in fact the soft targets primarily feel the pain and trauma of the senseless killings. Refugees continue to pour in from this traumatised district and no one knows when it will end. More importantly no one, not the Kukis and not the Karbis benefit from this confrontation and we are sure the innocent civilians do not know the exact reason behind this strife. 

Unexplained killings continue to occur regularly and in recent times we have underground organisations throwing muck at each other. It is during this time, when the air is cool, when nature opens up and gifts us with all that she has to offer, that we should sit down and ponder why human continue to indulge in mindless mayhem that do nothing except bring tears to all and orphans and widows many children and women. 

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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