Naga Day: ‘Journey towards common goal has lost its steam’

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan. 10 (EMN): Former retired additional chief secretary TN Manen on Monday said that Nagas belong to one distinctive community and stressed on the need to come together in the journey towards a common goal to determine their own fate.

“The formation of the Naga Club at Kohima in 1918 was the foundation to begin that journey,” he said at the Naga Day event organised by Naga Club at Kohima village council hall.

He said the formal articulation of the collective aspirations of the Nagas for a common destiny began after the submission of a memorandum to the Simon Commission in 1929.

“The memo was submitted on behalf of all the Nagas living within the administered, protected as well as ‘un-administered areas who were still unknown,” he said, adding that the effect of the same has been far reaching.

However, he lamented that the common “Naga journey” has “today lost its steam”.

‘The active workers are in complete disarray; the initial motivation and enthusiastic for a lofty dream of a united Naga Nation, independence and sovereignty has been reduced to the position that even the least demand for an integration of the Naga-inhabited contagious areas is considered as an impossible demand which is non-negotiable issue now. The high expectation of an honourable, inclusive and acceptance negotiated settlement is becoming an elusive dream,’ he said.

“The Nagas cannot blame the Indian government solely responsible for such a sorry state of affairs. Today, the nationalistic impulses among the Nagas, and the feeling of oneness and good will towards each other, which was strong in the past, is now waning away, giving way to tribalism. It is sad that today, we have no organisation to confidently and authoritatively represent the collective voice of the Nagas,” said Manen.

While asking if the Naga Club can revive and take that place (represent collective voice), he said ‘Nagas need such an unifying socio-political organisation to speak and represent the Nagas with all fairness which is missing today’.

Kuolachalie Seyie, president of Naga Club, stated that the club “reaffirms its commitment and mandate to work for the welfare of the whole Nagas and stands strong in its belief that differences or disputes arising out of hatred, lies, corruptions, manipulation or bitterness will not be allowed to weaken and divide the Nagas”.

‘Nagas, facing greater challenges today, should place the common good above all else and work as one, acquire wisdom from the Almighty God to set aside their differences, rise above narrow interests, and achieve what is right and best for Nagas as a whole,’ he added.

He asserted that Nagas “were not Indians and their territories were not part of the Indian Union since many centuries ago till date”.

“Our minds and our Naga national soul have never been colonised or compromised at any point of time,” said Seyie while reminding the solemn responsibility of every Naga generation to preserve the integrity of “this priceless inherited legacy”.

Also speaking on the occasion, Dr. Zavise Rume suggested making Naga Club a mass-based Naga organisation, adding that it should act as a “think-tank” of the Nagas.