Speech of Zelhou Keyho During Colloquium On Clean Elections

Honourable Chief Minister, Shri TR Zeliang, cabinet ministers, ministers, parliamentary secretaries, members of the legislative assembly, public leaders from various organisations, church leaders, speakers, participants for today’s colloquium and NBCC clean election core committee members, ladies and gentlemen present here today. I greet you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and welcome each and everyone of you to this important gathering as we deliberate on Engaging the Powers: Colloquium on Clean Election. Clean Election Campaign is an uphill battle but it is a worthy fight. The church is not playing politics by trying to usher in free and fair election in a system that has gone weary. It is a Holy discontent movement. I do not need to go on giving the commentary on the sad affairs of what has become of us. Everyone with a sense of reason, ethics and emotion knows that something is not right in our context when it comes to electioneering process. However, we are finding it hard to come out of it. Where have we gone wrong and who has taught us that dead people can vote? Selfishness and greediness has taken over the good and common sense of respect and honour we once possess them as our traits. We have taught our people that birthright can be bought and now rampant selling of birthrights has become very common. There is no sense of fear or guilt for the buyers and the sellers as well. Our Bible says, Esau and Jacob were twin-brothers. One day Esau, the elder brother of Jacob came home very hungry from the field and asked his younger brother to serve him food. Jacob in his selfishness and ill intention forgets that Esau was his elder brother therefore, demands that he sells his birthright in exchange of his service. To make the long story short, Jacob, got the blessings of the father which rightfully belongs to Esau by playing tricks with the second party. Because of this, the relationship between the twin brothers got broken. Esau has no other option but to hunt for his brother’s life. Jacob in return had to run for his life. Only when the one who wronged the brother sought repentance and forgiveness things were set right. Jacob took the courage to meet his brother. When Jacob met his brother Esau, this is what he said: “Seeing Your Face is Like Seeing the Face of God.” Only after his admittance the relationship between the twin brothers restored. We must restore the broken relationship for this to go right. There is also another story of two brothers; Cain and Abel. In this story Cain murdered Abel because God accepted his offering. And when God demanded to know what has happened to his brother Abel, Cain gave a very arrogant answer without admitting his fault: “I Don’t Know, He Replied ‘Am I My Brother’s Keeper?’” You as leaders cannot evade the responsibility, you must face the truth. Two choices lie for us: Begin the journey of courage to bring change like Jacob. Remain in our arrogance and not own the responsibility like Cain. We talk of back door appointments but coming to power through our election system has become the front door of all frustrations, disappointments and evils. But we can change and we must muster the will to change if not for our own sake for the sake of our younger generations. If we don’t we will all perish like fools and people will trample on us. There are two school of thoughts when it comes to change. Change from the bottom-up; and change from the top-down. We have even played the blaming game who should change first. The politicians blaming the constituents and the constituents blaming the politicians. Where will the blaming game stop? This has caused us to forget what is right and what is wrong. We are rationale being and if we do not use our reasoning power to bring change, what value is there to call ourselves as a Christian majority state. Can’t we become an advocate of what is right rather than trying to continue to do what is wrong by any means? Nagaland has become a land of happenings. We seem to be covering up issues and problems that are happening daily without solving or finding our way out. This has doubled our burden leading people to become sceptical of the things we do. For those who are at the helm of power we must take the responsibility to set the system right. We must learn to listen not only with our ears but also with our intellect, our heart and our eyes. We must not think that people are complaining unnecessarily and take them lightly. They are speaking their mind because the system has failed them. We have broken our promises, we have forgotten them. The time is coming, those in the helm of power will go back to your constituents. Be like Jacob, make things right and don’t make another blatant mistake. Don’t be arrogant like Cain but be your brother’s keeper. Feel their pulse, their agony and their suffering and act justly and exercise God’s given wisdom. If that is, you are sure that God has called you to be a leader. Clean Election Campaign is not a new thing. Our people has become negative and sceptical not because they are born to be that way but because they have seen enough. It is in your hand to spin the wheel to positivity by speaking the truth doing what is right and loving justice. Until we do that the negative spin will continue. In conclusion, as head of the Baptist Churches in Nagaland, let me say this. And I other friends from other denominations who are present here will also be in consonant with this statement. The church is not against any political party or parties but as Christian candidates and all of you are, guard your faith, do not sell your political will to political parties that seek to destroy your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, before you become a politician you are first a Christian. Do not be deceived that development will come with any political party. If we remain true and are honest no one can stop development. To be or not to be is within us and in us. Do not give false witness or make false promises and don’t try to bite what you cannot chew and digest. Let me conclude with a verse from the Bible which is relevant for our gathering today. Esther 4:14 “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” God bless you all. For me to live is Christ... (Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho is currently the General Secretary of the Nagaland Baptist Churches’ Council)