Khekiye K. Sema
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ontentious issues can be presented in as many divergent ways depending on which side of the fence one is situated, like a coin with two facades. It is but natural for a choice less likes of Col. Isak Sumi, of NSCN (K)/GPRN to take a patriotically sacrificial stance despite the crippling economic chaos being deliberately perpetrated by the NPGs in the name of “Sovereignty”. The story on the other side of the fence is diametrically different for those having to bear the brunt of it all. In as far as the personal insinuation against this writer is concerned it is his liberty to believe what he believes and say what he wants to say. After all we are living in a free country. I can’t be bothered to defend myself against an individual whose mind is hypocritically parked in the comfort zone of ill gotten gains of “Sovereignty” and wanting to preserve his turf. However, the people are entitled to understand the basic state of “sovereignty” that we ourselves have made a mockery of. I have not raised my voice against “Sovereignty” but against how we are going about our business trying to achieve it. In the times of yore, the National Workers were hero worshipped and the people in fact gave their all, including their lives, without reservations. Times have since changed. Today, people give “sovereignty tax” with a tear or a curse because they have no choice. No one wants to die a premature death. That alone should sufficiently describe the plight of the common man and the shabby picture of our NPGs.Truth often hurts but the Nagas cannot be led blindfolded forever. Yes, every Naga worth his/her salt is directly or indirectly aspiring for a life free of domination from within and without. Khekiye has no regrets in having initiated a discourse at Jamia Milla Islamia University at New Delhi. The legitimate historical and legal rights of the Nagas have more than amply been shared with the Indian counterparts along with the garbage within our kitchen as well...not to weaken our position but to strengthen the resolve of the Nagas to take a more honourable stance unitedly in the ongoing struggle that all Nagas still support against a superior adversary.
In as far as ACAUT Movement is concerned, it has no ulterior motive. ACAUT has done nothing beyond addressing the ground reality issues that pertain to the cancerous corruption within the Government of Nagaland including those also being perpetuated by the NPGs. ACAUT had demanded that a High Power Commission(HPC) be set up to tackle the rampant prevalence of illegal misdemeanours by the Politicians, bureaucrats and the technocrats of the Government of Nagaland including the NPGs. The Government has complied and HPC has been constituted with Supreme Court Justice Shri. H.K. Sema as the Chairman. Therefore the responsibility for ACAUT to spearhead a movement against the corrupt Government system has been passed on to the HPC to do what it can to mitigate the ‘Ebola’ manifestation within the Government system. As for the NPGs, the public outcry that they must ‘UNITE’ has fallen on deaf ears. The simple truth is that none of the NPGs want to compromise their individual egoistic authority especially when it has to do with “Sovereignty tax” that can be raised with AK 47 with death threats. Col. Isak Sumi may find the term “sovereignty tax” offensive to his ears but is that not what this essentially is all about? ...Raise Tax in the name of Sovereignty sitting on the fence with no achievement to show? Signing a cease fire agreement with the GoI with the “law of the land clause” is certainly not an achievement worth blowing one’s trumpet about. The people of Nagaland too consider this to be very offensive because sovereignty has practically been demeaned to just another word for creating their individual comfort zones. “National principles” factor has become the catchword for disunity. While acknowledging the importance of it and not being undermined in any way, surely if all the NPGs sincerely have the people’s interest at heart they ought to be able to circumvent their factional ‘national principle’ differences and stand as one. Sovereignty issue will become more meaningful if this is done...not in its present fragmented form that defies all rationality. As Christians, there can be no better honourable call than FNR pleading for all NPGs to forgive one another in the name of God, reconcile and unite. The sincere effort of FNR is not in doubt but cold hearted motivated response of NPGs is. Waiting for ‘Zungki River to flow upstream before considering reconciliation’ is the final epitaph for our collective disaster. It is more than obvious to everyone that the main obstacle lie in a giant size ego that each faction carries on its shoulders... unwilling to submit to one another, reinforced by a greed driven focus on their revenue resources that they can raise at gun point. In the process FNR has been made to look more like an ‘agreement manufacturing industry’ that the NPGs are unprepared to implement in practice after signing it. It is under these frustrating circumstances that ACAUT has initiated a harsher proposition for the NPGs to consider reconciliation which FNR is unable to address as a matter of non-coercive Christian principle on which their effort is based. Col. Isak Sumi’s statement that “The ACAUT also should have avoided branding the entire NPGs as mere wealth seeking agencies as the NSCN/GPRN with or without taxation shall continue the struggle for sovereignty no matter how disdainful it may appear before ACAUT” is a meaningless rhetoric that cuts no ice. ACAUT without any hesitation acknowledges the presence of a good number of honest and worthy National Workers still in existence within each cadre, (may God bless them) but their number has sadly been overshadowed by the self-centred ruthless ones in command. Unless the Col. is leading super human patriots that only feeds on ‘sovereignty’ and does not eat two square meals a day like any other normal people, his professed struggle “with or without taxation” sounds embarrassingly hollow. It can only mean “with taxation” in actual practice should he want to really continue. ACAUT has no reason to feel disdained. The ground realities amply depict a picture of depravity within the NPGs for all to see.
The bottom-line is for the Nagas to stand transparently together as one and face our common adversary as we did when it all began. Such is the aspiration of ACAUT movement now being dubbed as Anti-National. It is for the people to judge whether the National Workers with their focus on money as their mainstay activities with sovereignty as a camouflage or ACAUT pleading for a united Naga National Movement to be National or Anti-National sentiment. Time will surely tell.
The writer is a retired IAS Officer,
Forest Colony, Kohima
