Appeal from a Witch in Assam
Monoranjan Thakur *
Oh My countryman of geographically and culturally separated society!
Wake up in this morning and see my condition with hearty sympathy!
the witch-hunting cases are rising incidents
don't you know it is the creation of some vested interest?
It is sometimes political conspiracy, sometimes humane lust
Sometimes powerful section's calculated strategy to fill deep pocket fast!
Those vested interests keep you poor and illiterate,
Use your predominant superstitious belief to mitigate!
an uncanny feeling that I was being watched by those perpetrators,,
As a struggling helpless young untouchable widow with a toddler!
Many midnights had given me nightmares with my baby,
There are knocks and bangs at the doors by somebody!
Whispering voice of indecent lust of these culprits come at night,
Though I am untouchable in the village during sunlight!
I was attacked with sticks for claiming my illegally occupied property,
Hurriedly seek protection from police leads to frustration and no help from society!
Stages of registration, investigation, chargesheeting and trial require lot of money!
Intimidating, stigmatizing, defaming , accusing me now as witch ,
Made me loneliest animal worst than the village bitch!
My senseless, inebriated village men become a namby-pamby
In the land of Lachit, weaker than my untouchable baby!
My Poverty and hunger is better than this torture and humiliation,
The wide distribution of witch-hunts is nothing but vested creation!
I am a poor women not responsible for the outbreak,
random misfortunes of sickness or death requires medical help!
Witch hunt practices taken away my basic human rights
Wake up my countrymen in this morning with bright sun light!
**** ( Written after reading the news ..Guwahati, Feb 10 (UNI),2016 Two brothers were killed while the third one was seriously injured in an incident of witch hunting near Baithalangso in Karbi Anglong district, Assam)
* Poem written by Monoranjan Thakur for e-pao.net
The writer is a resident of Nongrim Hills,Shillong and can be contacted at nivast_nivanami(at)yahoo(doT)co(doT)in
This poem was webcasted on February 16 2016.
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