Citizens of Shillong held a memorial for Father Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist, who died on July 5 in prison.
At the programme, citizens carried posters which praised the work of Father Stan and also condemned the authorities. He had been arrested under draconian anti-terror legislation. At age 84 he was the oldest person to be accused of terrorism in India.
Khasi Students Union (KSU) general secretary, Donald V Thabah, spoke at the event and said that tribals and other minorities of the country are being marginalized.
“Father Stan, a priest, went beyond the four walls of the church to fight for the minorities,” Thabah said, adding that such a fight does not amount to secession.
Thabah also stated that the tribals of the North East in particular are harassed and even the state governments turn a deaf ear to their protests.
He also said that the government denied a simple thing like a sipper cup to Father Stan, who suffered from Parkinson’s, and his arrest is like a warning to those who are anti-establishment.
Robertjune Kharjahrin, president of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), said that the arrest of Father Stan aims to end the resistance of those who want to fight for the rights of the tribals.
“You can kill a revolutionary but you can’t kill the revolution,” Kharjahrin said.
The HYC president said that many tribal leaders fought against British and after gaining independence the citizens are now fighting against their own government.
