The saddest history of the political journey of the Nagas is the indelible chapter of the story of the discord and the subsequent disintegration of the Naga National Movement (NNM) into factions followed by fratricidal conflict that has to be clubbed with the Naga political history. The conflict had terrible negative impact on numerous Naga families, badly dented on the fraternal brotherhoods and degraded the political status of the Nagas to a mere light weight and namesake aspiration in the eye of the adversaries in short. When the Naga national leaders with their respective groups preferred to remain as hard nuts and refused to become magnanimous for the sake of the Naga unity, the NNM was driven towards the bottomless pit.
Yet, the Living God perhaps remembers what the pioneers of the NNM under NNC who dedicated the movement for the glory of God some 7 decades ago with the prayers “Let Thy Kingdom come to Nagaland” and “Nagaland for Christ”. Despite our best efforts invested for self destruction in modern time under the NNM, God prevailed on time whereby once again the Nagas are now saved from being left in the lurch and from being awarded with the trophy of total shame as earned. No matter how legitimate our historical and political rights may be, we, the present generation, ourselves noxiously downgraded the hard earned status to rueful condition. Had the Nagas remained in unity under a single political umbrella like the erstwhile NNC/FGN, the invitation of the GOI, therefore, to the Nagas for political negotiation would not have been necessarily a surprise, and yet knowing our weaknesses due to divisions, such invitation, as I consider it, to be a great favour just because of the steadfast love of the Living God for the Nagas. The ceasefire, the political negotiations between the GOI and the Nagas and the subsequent agreements to have solution are but the legal recognition of the political status of the Nagas by GOI. In lieu of neglect, abandonment and the resultant disgrace and shame, the logical conclusion of recognition is imminent.
From here the Nagas are going to have a new era under which the different political arrangements are expected in the Naga areas in NE India. The commitments made on 31.10.2019 by the negotiators to have solution is a benchmark as it goes down as the cairn in the annals of the Naga history. The Nagas could not become sovereign as per the Framework Agreement and the Preamble and so also the contiguous Naga areas could not be amalgamated are the realities. Beside the expected new dispensations based on agreed terms, the Nagas have to survive under the status quo arrangements territorially speaking. Whatever it may be, none can blame the Naga negotiators for not being able to fetch the principle aspirations at this time. All the Nagas are equally responsible and we will get only what we deserve.
As I understood the factors that compelled us to go through so much labour pain prior to principle agreements to have political solution on 31.10.2019 was because of the conflict of the two philosophies, the status quo vrs the liberation of Nagaland. By the solution, the State of Nagaland is to be virtually liberated from the menace of excess governance. Nagaland has been reeling under not less than 10 Governments (the State Govt. and the 9 Naga National Govts) for decades. Feeding 10 govts with the budget of a State Govt. during the last more than 2 odd decades is responsible for the most expensive cost of living in Nagaland. Many, many enterprising local entrepreneurs were nipped in the bud. The wealthy local businessmen dared not invest their money in Nagaland and they rather opted for other States for such investments. The State Govt. of Nagaland literally remained under siege as many of the politicians and the bureaucrats hobnobbed with many unscrupulous elements whereby the public funds are siphoned away in broad daylight robberies. The rules of Govt. and its system of governance were deposited under lock and key, whereas the miss governance was let loose at the behest of the senseless and selfish authorities. Such misrule in such magnitude has become acceptable in the Naga Christian society and we remained no more allergic to injustices meted out to the common man. The few people making the right noises against the prevailing system were just pebbles thrown in the pond and they are considered to be the thorn in the flesh of the exploiters. The Opposition party in NLA has become lame duck at this crucial period which is expected to make the loudest voices. And so on so forth. Whatever said and done, the onslaught of the haywire neo system of governance for years has its immense toll on the poorer section of the citizens in Nagaland.
In order to allow the solution to land, the citizens have paved the way for solution which is about to come hopefully without much procrastination. As for the State of Nagaland, I have no knowledge about how the solution would be made to land, and yet it is historically imperative. Every rational individual knows that the desirous genuine peace can be born solely by the expected solution. And under that truly peaceful atmosphere, Nagaland can be replenished as the refurbishment of Nagaland is indispensable.
Firstly, the number of governments in Nagaland will henceforth be drastically reduced from 10 to 1. The reduction of the number of governments will become the greatest austerity measure ever taken in Nagaland. After much extended spell of exploitation of the gullible public in Nagaland with threat and intimidation laced with unabated multiple taxations, the people of Nagaland will have one Govt. with one tax. The menace of taxation which has been the virus that strangulates the economy of Nagaland will be erased. The legal taxes under the single Govt. will become the basis for economic growth. I am hopeful that this liberation will be the booster for the growth of local entrepreneurs, etc.
Secondly, Nagaland will have freedom from threats and intimidation from people with sophisticated arms as the gun culture will hopefully be replaced with Isaiah 11:6-9. For the first time after a long gap, the people will have sense of emancipation from the culture of bondage. When there is no more fear of threat of being killed with gun, the people will begin to regain the sense of equality. Under such environment justice is expected to return to Nagaland. In such environment the people of Nagaland will have sense of ownership of Nagaland and the bona fide citizens will become the masters of the State of Nagaland.
Thirdly, the rule of law must be welcomed by the people of Nagaland by releasing the law of the land from its bondage for decades. The system of governance that had disappeared into oblivion from administrative sphere has to be reinstated. For so long the laws of the land are kept for abuse by those in authority in hobnob with unscrupulous elements. Under the existing system, the honest and the law abiding citizens are normally and usually considered to be the weaklings and are made to be the victims of the system whereas those who dare to be the law breakers and the criminals become the superior citizens and champions be it in State governance or in NNM. Whereas, the opportunity has come for God fearing and right thinking section of people to become vibrant and take the leading role in every sphere without which the refurbishing of Nagaland will be just a whitewash.
Fourthly, the golden opportunity will come for the citizens of Nagaland to stitch the broken pieces of our society together in unity. As much as the NNPGs are fragmented into shreds, the civil bodies and platforms are equally torn into tiny islands filled with isms and egos. The people of Nagaland have to realize that in this generation, there will never be a better opportunity than post solution period for mending and restructuring the society. Every sensible citizen of Nagaland irrespective of profession may have to realize that the challenge so posed to each individual is that as much calibre we have in fighting amongst ourselves that much ability we have to unite for rebuilding. How long shall we nurture the theoretical rhetoric fashion for future and for posterity? The time has come for the present generation to prove our worth by walking the talk.
Fifthly, whatever said and done, only the Living God alone can make things happened. When the Nagas had fratricidal killings, the NGOs and the mediators had the fire fight to stop the conflict and the Churches fervently prayed for normalcy. I believe that it’s worth for the believers to sincerely pray for the transformation to arrive in Nagaland. The chance is here for the citizens of the State to reform Nagaland into a new Nagaland.
Nevertheless, to have the New Nagaland will not be that simple and easy as I can talk. As I mentioned the conflict of the two philosophies, I can imagine and anticipate that there will be Sanballats, Tobiahs and Geshems of the Arab who vehemently opposed the project of Jerusalem’s rebuilding under the leadership of Nehemiah. In our contemporary Nagaland politics, the Sanballats, the Tobiahs and the Geshems are rich, powerful and dynamic. It is therefore doubtful as to whether the people of Nagaland will be allowed to reform Nagaland by this powerful team. The only option for the public to rebuild Nagaland under the given opportunity is to adopt the Nehemiah’s strategy which is no other than supplication.
