Former Civil Servant Toki Blah has blamed the state government’s weakness for the law and order situation in the state.
Speaking to Highland Post, Blah said that right from the MDA I the state government seems very weak in the maintenance of law and order.
Recalling the Them Iewmawlong incident, he said for constitutive days there was the pelting of stones and all sorts of activities but the government was not able to control it.
“We have chosen a government to be firmed and if a government succumbs to people creating law and order situation then it is unacceptable,” he said adding that miscreants cannot be allowed to roam freely but must be arrested.
He said that these kinds of activities have only put the state in a bad light in the rest of the country that cannot be allowed to persist.
“We have to show that we can maintain law and order irrespective of who are the culprits and who are the victims,” Blah added.
Stating that there should be public community policing, he said that the state already has a strong Dorbar Shnong system and the police and this traditional institution should work together to contain such unwanted elements.
He said that patrolling should be enhanced and by working together with Dorbar Shnong this problem will be solved to a great extent.
He also pointed out the rampant theft cases in the city and stressed that this could also be checked if the Dorbar Shnong worked together with the police.
Echoing similar views, UDP leader Jemino Mawthoh has also expressed concern about the current law and order situation.
“If safety and security is not there how will the citizens live in that kind of environment,” he said.
According to Mawthoh if petrol bombs can be thrown anywhere then it means that the state is unsafe.
“We need to strengthen the Law and order machinery and restore the faith and trust of the people in the law and order machinery,” he added.
The UDP leader also stressed that if all the unfortunate incidents are happening in front of everybody’s eyes and nothing can be done about it then it is a failure on the part of the law and order machinery.
“There is also an increased rate of crimes from theft and burglary to murder, the growing cases of drug addiction, etc, and there is a feeling of fear and insecurity in the minds of the people. If these elements are here then we need to think what kind of state we are living in,” he said, adding that there’s a need for the grassroots institution like the Dorbar Shnong to work in tandem with the government to contain all the lawlessness.