What is a Gaonbura? A Gaonbura is an Assamese word meaning a village (gaon) Bura (old man); which signifies a village elder who is, supposedly, wise in the ways of the world, and knowledgeable of the customs and laws of the village and the people. We Nagas have used this term to encompass all the decision making members of the villages of the many tribes and people that inhabit Nagaland. In our stupidity, we have also appointed Gaonburas to all the localities of all the townships in Nagaland. A Gaonbura of a locality in a town is a contradiction in terms (an oxymoron if you will); but let us leave this topic for another day.
The primary purpose of a G.B., in Nagaland, is to govern a village or locality according to accepted customs and to aid governmental agencies in the course of their duty, and in accordance with the laws of the land. The recent petition of the G.B.’s Association of Chumukedima, requesting the police not to entertain the First Information Report filed by the A.C.A.U.T. against the Block Development Officer and the minions of the office of the B.D.O., Chumukedima, is not only stupid, but against the law. We Nagas have to understand that:-
1. No government in the world has any money, nor is any government formed to make money. The government gets money from the public taxpayer. The taxpayer pays taxes with the understanding that the government will provide him security and the proper infrastructure so that he is free to lead his life with a measure of safety and comfort. We Nagas of Nagaland do not pay Income Taxes so we think that it is the government that gives us money and thus government servants are free to deduct any amount they want. This is not so, every paisa we receive comes from the hard earned income of the Indian Taxpayer. The Indian Taxpayer pays his taxes to the Indian Government, which in turn allocates a certain sum to the Nagaland Government to maintain and develop Nagaland. The Government of Nagaland is nothing more than a glorified, “Dalal” (to use the Indian vernacular). The government servants are paid to use the money properly, not to deduct it. Our Legislators are elected to pass laws and to ensure that the money that the Indian Taxpayer gives us is utilised in the best way possible, (but they seem to be too busy camping in Kaziranga amidst the wild animals, where, in my opinion, they rightly belong).
2. Indian laws are based on the British model, not the American model. The difference lies in the fact that under the American Judicial System, the parties to the dispute can arrive at any compromise, on any issue, provided that all parties to the dispute are amenable to it.
But under the British Model, if a crime has been committed, even if the victim and offender are willing to compromise, the police can still choose to prosecute the offender. So, the question of the Police entertaining the petition of the G.B.’s Association of Chumukedima does not arise. The money does not belong to the G.Bs. The money belongs to the people of Chumukedima. So, the parties to the dispute are the officials of the R.D. Department at Chumukedima and the people of Chumukedima. The only locus standi (right/capacity to bring an action/appear in court) the G.B.s have is as ordinary citizens of Chumukedima. The G.B.s Association, in reality, is liable to prosecution for obstruction of justice.
3. It is the duty of every citizen of India to report any instance of violation of laws; even to the extent of making a, “Citizen’s Arrest”, in the absence of the Law Enforcement Agencies. So A.C.A.U.T. or any of its members, or anyone else, for that matter, is entitled to file an F.I.R. on any matter where there is a perceived instance of violation of the law. And the Police are duty bound to register such cases.
Why does it always have to be A.C.A.U.T? We seem to have hundreds of thousands of unions, associations and organisations. The N.B.C.C. seems to think that if Nagas stop drinking alcohol and refrain from taking money for votes during elections, Nagaland will turn into a heaven on earth. If those in the Church hierarchy wish to interfere in temporal matters, instead of sticking to spiritual matters, here is another chance for you to speak out. Speak out now, or forever hold your silence on all matters of the flesh. And I ask all citizens of Nagaland to demand that the union, association or organisation that you belong to speak out against this all pervasive corruption that is rotting the flesh off the bones of Nagaland.
I am grateful that God gave the Sumis the wisdom to pass the resolution to uphold our traditional address of “Kukamis” in place of G.B.sand “Akukau” in place of G.B. I would advise the other Naga Tribes to follow suit. The Konyaks should revert to their “Anghs” and the other Naga Tribes may use the Ao “Tatar”, or their separate traditional terms to designate their village decision making elders. There have been too many G.B.s appointed by the government in too many places, on nothing more than political and nepotistic grounds, for the title to hold any respect in the eyes of the people. I was always ashamed of our politicians, theologians, bureaucrats and “Freedom Fighters”; now the G.B.s Association of Chumukedima have given me another reason to be ashamed of being a Naga. We have become a land of headless chickens, running helter skelter, with no purpose and no clue as to what to do or where to head.
God Save Our Nagaland
Kahuto Chishi Sumi
Akukau, Hevishe Village
Kahuto107@gmail.com
