NLTP Act, 1989, is for defence of Naga Nation from self-destruction
Tsiiknung Penzii, Ex-Minister, (Nagaland), Dimapur
Continued from previous issue part 3 of 3
12. Famous mass slavery in the world history:
In this article I will give a short description about the Naga slavery under the company wine for 26 years from 1963 to 1989. To make our younger generation people understand better and clearly about our earlier Naga slavery history, I am giving herein three world-famous history of ‘mass slavery. ‘Mass slavery’ means making the whole people of a community slaves or making the entire population of a people subjected to forced slavery.
(I) Slavery under Roman empire: Roman army conquered many lands during nearly one thousand years of the ancient world conquest. Captives from conquered lands were forced to slavery who were treated as animals. Number of slaves in the empire rose to several lakhs. In 71 B.C. 90,000 slaves formed
an army and revolted against Rome’s authority, under the slave leader named Spartacus. In their revolutionary war they got few initial victories. But at last they were crushed, badly defeated in a battle. The Roman Army under their general Marcus Licineus Crassus crucified 6000 captive slaves on a single day on the left and right sides of Appian Way, the most important road of the empire, which ran from Rome to the Mediterranean sea coast. The line of crosses stretched to several miles of the road. Slave leader Spartacus too died on the Cross.
(2) Israeli slavery in Egypt: We Naga Christians know well about the Israeli slavery in Egypt, as it is written in the Bible. So I am not repeating the story here. However, I am here pointing out an important event. Towards the end of their journey from Egypt to Canaan, their destination promised land, through their spies they came to know that their enemies with whom the Israelis had to fight, were of giant size, tall and big men who lives in strongly fortified fortresses. Compared with them Israelis were found as grasshoppers. Then, some Israelis expressed their fear and uttered words to go back to Egypt, saying that, to be a slave alive was better then to die at the hands of such giant enemy. But their leaders Joshua and Caleb instilled confidence in their minds for sure victory with the help of God, and ultimately in the long run they occupied their promised land, Canaan.
(3) Negro slaves in America: The Negroes were kidnapped in their homeland in Africa by the early Americans, taken in big slave-carrying ships like cattles, across the Atlantic Ocean; sold to different richmen in the slave market. In course of many years’ time, Negro slaves population grew to great number including their children and grand children born and grew in America in slave homes. From about 1500 when the first group of African Negroes were imported to America, upto the year of Declaration of Emancipation of Negro slaves by the then U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, that is about 363 years later, there were 4 million (40 lakhs) Negro slaves in U.S. alone excluding other countries of North 6 South American continent.
Today U.S.President is a Negro, whose forefather was a slave.
REMEMBER NAGA WINE HORROR
Someone may object that my short narration about slavery in other far-away lands isj1ot necessary. But I gave these to drive home my narration of earlier Naga slavery under wine given below herewith in SI. No. IS, and to make Naga fellowmen to remember the dark period of Naga slavery under wine for 26 years from 1963 to 1989, (till passing of NLTP Act).
Naga wine mongers who want NLTP Act to abolish soon are giving mainly three argumentative reasons in their support of wine, as follows:
(a) Stabilization: After lifting NLTP Act, once wine is allowed to flow, its drinking will be stabilized in slow stages of 10, 20, 30, 40 years’ period. And, ultimately, people will become more civilized and people will drink wine with self-control, temperance and drinking for health only, like civilized people in England, America and metropolitan cities in India.
Their theory is only a false paradise, because by that time Nagas will be found ‘gone back’ to Stone Age.
(b) Mockery: NLTP Act is only in name, without action. Wine flows in big currents in black markets with the knowledge of, and before the eyes of State Government and the Church just looking the other way, meaning, pretending as if they do not see the wine flow. This is a mockery in the eyes of non-Nagas. These bearing this opinion shall realize later that going Nagas again to wine slavery era of 1963-1989 shall be of much greater mockery from non-Nagas.
(c) Income from wine tax: Some NLTP Act opponents say that as and when NLTP Act is abolished, allowing free flow of wine in State, Government’s income / revenue will be from Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 crores annually, say, Rs. 25 crores per year in average.
Their vision of huge revenue is a false Shangri-la. Because, after NLTP Act is lifted, extra amount of Rs. I 00 crorJe per year, in addition to normal budget, for police and Excise department is needed to control minor and major wine drinking-related riots and fights all over the State, and also to tackle untoward problems caused everyday from drunkards. Greater portion of the extra budget amount will be spent to purchase many vehicles, like patrol vehicles, to be used as ‘Mobile Police Stations and Mobile Excise Offices, which will travel to all sectors / wards of the towns and rural villages, to control everyday ugly incidents caused by excessive wine drinking. Because in that wine-free age people one and all will drink wine any time, anywhere.
How Rs. 100 crores amount is estimated? Average income / revenue for State Government from wine is to be Rs. 25 crores per year. At the time of free-wine flow, after lifting NLT~ Government’s expenditure in the above mentioned duties will be fourfold. That is 25 x 4 = 100. So Rs. 100 crores.
Let there be no hope entertained by NLTP opponents that a perfect peace era, like writer Sir Thomas More’s Utopia will come to Nagaland if and when NLTP is lifted.
(d) New generation Naga people: People who were born after 1989, or grown up (became adult) after 1989 may not know the actual horror of wine slavery period in Nagaland. Without practical experience they might have learnt only the simple wine drinking tales. As such, these new-generation Nagas may think that wine drinking, after lifting NLTP Act may be in self-control system, drinking just for personal health and to follow party uniform etiquette like in big Indian cities of civilized society like Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. But they will come to know later that as soon as the NLTP is lifted, in no time, Nagas will become like wild animals. There is a story about ‘Wild West’. Our Nagaland will become .Wild East.’
After the great flood was over in Noah’s time, God set His rainbow on the cloud as a sign of covenant (or agreement) between Him and ‘man’ (from the Bible, Gen. 9 : 13-14). Let Nagas honour NLTP as a rainbow between God and Nagas to save our country, Naga country, from flood of wine.
13. Naga mass slavery under company wine:
Individual slaves were found in Naga country from early time till the British Government banned keeping of slaves, setting the slaves free, in about mid 19th century. However. I am writing here about the mass slavery of Nagas under company wine in recent time in the second half of the 20th century. In sub-heading No.6. I have given the first coming of company wine to Nagaland in 1963 along with the attainment of Statehood of Nagaland. That period of mass slavery of Nagas under the company wine from 1963 till the wine ban Act was enforced in 1989. That 26 year period can be called ‘The dark period’ when the Nagas destroyed their lives themselves.
14. Peculiar Naga mass slavery:
In all slavery of the world stronger people used to put weaker ones into slavery. But in case of Nagas it is voluntary slavery. Nagas themselves were subjected to slavery under their chosen master wine or liquor. That is why it is called peculiar slavery. 15. History of Naga mass slavery under wine:
This period covers 26 years from 1963 to 1989. That is from the year of first appearance of the company wine in Nagaland in 1963 to the year of its ban by Nagaland Legislative Assembly Act in 1989. This period can be called the ‘Dark era of Naga mass slavery under company wine’. I am herewith giving a short summary of this era’s history. not in style of school text book. but like a cinema film reel sequence or scenario as follows:
(I) Countless Naga leaders: intellectuals, politicians, Doctors, Engineers, administrators, bureaucrats, technocrats, who were assets of Naga nation, have faced premature death by excessive drinking of wine making themselves slaves to Lady Wine.
(2) Many lower grade government service staff, cultivators in ,rural villages, higher, medium and lower classes of businessmen. Industrialists artisans and craftsmen have died in prime of life due to excessive drinking of wine. They were buried unmourned like carcass of pigs or chickens after jumping ...themselves to slavery
(3) Many children could not be sent to school because their parents spent all their earnings in drinking of wine with no remaining amount of money for the children’s education.
(4) Many good families were divorced because of infidelity between husband and wife after involving in extra marital affairs under the influence of wine.
(5) Population of orphans or parentless children grew due to divorce or premature deaths of parents after excessive drinking of wine.
(6) Widows abound in land, like after World War I & II, but it was not due to male deaths in wars but due to the premature death of husbands by excessive drinking of wine.
(7) Male citizens in great number walked in town streets with front side of their longpants wet, not due to walking in the rain, but by urinating unknowingly while walking under intoxication by wine.
(8) Shops in all the towns used to close down right at the sunset. Because drunkards in singles and groups demanded goods without payment under the influence of excessive drinking.
(9) Walking woman in singles became impossible both in day time and evening due to predatory drunkards. Late evening and night walking was out of question in all Nagaland’s towns.
(10) Skirmishes big fightings, quarrels were everyday occurrences in towns due to wine influence in almost all nooks and corners. Police were busy controlling such wine-related tensions.
(II) Sub-conscious overdrunk or fully drunk men were found lying like dead bodies in waysides and nullas in late evenings and nights. They were taken by friends, relatives or police. Some walked out themselves in the next morning when their consciousness returned from temporary loss.
(12) Number of wine shops, wine bars 5 wine dabas grew up more than the number of normal shops, with two or more wine shops in every ward, colony, sector of the town.
(13) Number of applications for licence to open wine shops in towns were heaped ...in big bundles in excise offices much more than applications for jobs in the office of the Nagaland Public Service Commission at Kohima.
(14) In one point of time, ratio of wineshops in percentage, in proportion to State’s
population in Nagaland, was declared as highest in India, showing that Nagaland, the smallest State in India then, became the heaviest drinker of wine in India.
(15) Wedding party, picnic party, birthday party, VIP visits and every party, festivals and events were accompanied by wine drinking.
(16) Youth hostels in schools and colleges became dens for wine drinking, away and free from parents, guardians and Pastors.
(17) Youth educational progress had been squashed so low, that pass percentage per school and college decreased to 30 -20% per school due to students wine drinking.
(18) Gambling of all sorts of money-making games with wine bottles keeping round the gambling table were found in every sector of the town.
(19) Nagaland towns became like Biblical sin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
16. Redeemer, protector of Nagas from wine slavery:
Had there be no NLTP Act in Nagaland, it would have been like a State of living dead or like a twilight world of dead spirits as given in Greek folklore. In absence of NLTP in Nagaland there would have been no sign of progress or activities of living people. Only sleepy, lazy liquor-addict people under semi-conscious drunk leaders would have been there roaming in Nagaland.
Thanks to the undermentioned organizations, bodies, individual volunteers, who spear headed the demand for passing of NLTP Act in Nagaland in 1989. With so much sacrifice of their time, labour, money, talent and sweats of these below-given people, Naga people have been saved and redeemed from slavery under ‘Master Wine’ in Nagaland.
Names of organizations:
(I) Nagaland Baptist Churches Council, H.O. Kohima.
(2) Naga Tribal Baptist Churches Associations, such as :
(a) Angami Baptist Churches Association,
(b) Ao Baptist Churches Association,
(c) Lotha Baptist Churches Association,
(d) Serna Baptist Churches Association; and consisting all the 16 tribes’ Churches Associations.
(3) All local Baptist Churches from allover Nagaland.
(4) Other Christian denomination Churches of Nagaland.
(5) Naga Mothers Associations.
(6) Christian Youth Endeavor Unions under all Tribal Churches Associations.
(7) Several non-religious NGOs and individuals.
Last but not the least, all Nagaland Ministers and MLAs under the leadership of the then Chief Minister Dr. S.C. Jamir who had passed the NLTP Act (in 1989) unanimously in the Assembly floor. (Writer of this article was also present as an MLA).
Today, the then members of the aforesaid bodies are to be regarded I can be called as redeemer and protector of Naga people from slavery of company wine in Nagaland. (My view of ‘redeemer’ do not clash with Christian doctrine of Christ as Redeemer).
17. Examples of protector, redeemer in world history:
(i) Abraham Lincoln was protector, redeemer, liberator, emancipator of Negro slaves in America, 1863 (already given in sub-heading No.6).
(ii) Oliver Cromwell was called Protector of England. Cromwell (1658 -1599 =
58) was an army officer, parliamentarian and statesman. In 1628 English King Charles-I dissolved the English Parliament and himself became an absolute monarchy with dictatorial power, which people did not like. Oliver Cromwell defeated the King after a Civil War between the royalist and people’s army under command of Cromwell in 1651. King was executed.
Cromwell restored the Parliament again. People made him King, but he refused. Yet he was called the ‘Protector of England.’
Today we need brave Naga leaders as Protector and Redeemer of Naga people from slavery of wine (not fickle minded leaders) upholding NLTP firmly.
18. Provision to lift NLTP Act:
Yes, there is provision to lift the NLTP Act. Under Indian Constitution any earlier- passed Act can be amended, meaning: to lift,rectify, revise as and when the old law / Act become unnecessary or outlived its relevance. Such amendments take place in Indian Parliament from time to time.
But there is one Act, which is never to lift or abolish. That is the Act to keep and maintain Indian Defence Forces including Army, Navy and Air Force. Because, it is for the defence of the nation. In Indian Parliament history so far, nobody had ever submitted any agenda in Parliament House floor demanding abolition of Indian Army, Navy or Air Force.
Likewise, NLTP is for the defence of Naga nation to defend from slavery under wine, which brings self-destruction by ourself. In several places in this article I too have mentioned ‘self-destruction’ and ‘voluntary enslavement under wine’. But when the NLTP Act is lifted there will be some non-Naga unseen enemy or enemies who will become ‘Master over Nagas’ to recruit all Naga leaders, followed by youths in the army of slaves, which will be slave army of Nagas under command of unseen wine tycoons.
19. ‘Writing on the wall’:
The saying or proverb, taken out from the Bible, has become a universal maxim for all religions, but generally used in political usage. King Belshazzar of Babylon was having a great dinner party with his 1000 nobles. They were drinking wine in holy golden cups. These cups had been brought earlier by his father Nebuchadnezzar during his conquest and plunder of Jerusalem temple. While drinking wine, the king saw the ‘Writing on the wall’ in unknown language. Daniel said, it meant the King had been weighed in scale and found wanting. It was a divine message to fall the kingdom on the basis of wine drinking. This story is found in Daniel Chapter 5.
Writing on the wall will appear (may not be visible to Naga eyes) on the day when that paper for lifting the NLTP Act is signed, against that government who signs the lifting of the document.
