Editorial: Awaiting Non-Governmental Initiatives

Cases of suicides, substance abuse, domestic violence, child molestation, petty crime etc are not uncommon in Sikkim. May be they never were, but in the past, there were social cushions made of stronger fabric to care for the victims and to protect better. Now, however, Sikkim lives a more ‘modern’ life and even as the crimes and social challenges mentioned above are reported more often, the responses, at least in the institutionalised format that have evolved in other societies similarly affected [which is just about everywhere], have not manifested thus far. It is important for the civil society and people’s organisations here to realise that there are many problems facing Sikkim which only non-governmental volunteers can address effectively. Discomfiting situations, especially the ones that are social in nature, require agencies from outside the government to find deliverance. The State can at best play the role of a facilitator by putting in place the right laws and making available the required funds to aid the process, but cannot be expected to resolve the challenges. One must accept that when the government takes on the role of the NGO, there is too much tokenism which does not end up achieving much and helps even fewer. This is not for want of intent, but more a fallout of the lack of commitment caused by haphazard prioritisation. Government officials are after all in transferable jobs and have other considerations weighing on their minds like career progression to get too involved with the social cause they might presently be ex officio or otherwise involved in and expected to address. Their involvement then gets limited to and dictated by guidelines and precedence, neither of which works in real life situations. Without complete involvement, social problems cannot be solved and this commitment can only be guaranteed by committed volunteers of an NGO. Government functionaries will be satisfied with an elaborately staged “World Day” observance of their present responsibility or the odd workshop and seminar or awareness programme. Real work involves getting the hands dirty and that is too much to expect from a person with only temporary responsibility of the problem. The government is also handicapped by the red tape it wraps itself in. Work on field demands instant decisions and improvisation which government officials are either not trained for or unwilling to risk. In Sikkim, unfortunately, the NGO culture is still nascent and because of this the government-NGO relationship is also not one of mutual respect. Since most NGOs here are completely dependent on the State for funds and directions, their independence is restricted. It is time the NGO culture developed into a viable deliverer of services and information to the Sikkimese, especially those in the rural areas. Many changes are afoot at present and NGO involvement in cushioning their impact is an urgent need.