During my college days, elders encouraged me to study hard and get a government job. Thanks to all those who have encouraged me with the right perspective. But I often overheard some elders talking like, “Get a govt. job for job security and out-income or side-income. All the better if you get into certain departments.” Those days, for example, it was Supply Dept. or a Store Keeper in certain departments. These days, I sometimes hear people talking about RD (Rural Development) dept. where employees can have access to “side-income.”
Well, with due respect to all the government servants/employees who are genuinely rendering tireless services to the public, what I am trying to say is, our socialization or rather our employment motivation is in the wrong track or defective. When we encourage a student or an unemployed youth, instead of focusing on “What can you give to the society?”, our focus is more on “What will you get (materially/monetarily) from the government job?” Therefore, when money is a necessity and working hard to earn more is a good thing, unemployed youths after getting a govt. job is more focused on making money be it legal or illegal.
Drawing nearer to my point, today we have some few corrupted govt. officials who are used to committing White Collar Crime and so hope to continue with the habit. However, we have the God sent angels in the form of ACAUT in Nagaland. I know it will be hard to entirely uproot the “Tree of Corruption” in Nagaland because old habits die hard but ACAUT is making some impacts in Nagaland coupled with the support from younger generation who are tired of corruption and gun culture. Therefore, keep up the Good Fight. The oppressed, exploited and downtrodden Nagas are with you for a corruption-free Naga society.
It is only natural that the Government will use all its forces to suppress the mass movement fearing complete breaking down of law and order as Nagaland has already witnessed such incidents of public mob (mob justice) in the recent past when the Naga public lost complete trust in the government machineries/authorities to punish the guilty and the criminals.
Nagaland has witnessed enough of “Justice runs from the barrel of the gun” and “Might is right”. Therefore, it is high time we bring back the maxims, “Pen is mightier than sword”, “Right is might” and “Honesty is the best policy”. Where have all those value teachings in the schools gone? Except some few committed educational institutions and teachers, most of the institutions in Nagaland have become result-oriented (admitting only toppers to produce toppers) and business-oriented forgetting the true value teaching and practical-oriented skills to produce employable or self-reliant students.
It is encouraging to see some govt. retirees like K.K. Sema and T. Solo and the young and active ACAUT members, Naga intellectuals and writers, social reformers and NGOs who are sacrificing all their resources. Lets remember that there is always a silver lining in the dark cloud. May God help all those working tirelessly for a corruption-free and peaceful Naga society.
Dr. M. Temjen Longkumer
Lerie colony, Kohima
