The Elusive Independence

Today is August 14, 2025; which would have marked our seventy-ninth Independence Day and more “massly” celebrated, had the dreams of our elders been fulfilled. It is an odd anniversary to mark for the full realisation is not yet truly ours, yet it looms on the calendar like a ghost- a reminder of both hopes and failures.

It is most fortunate that we Naga youth today will never have to experience the horrors and atrocities of the Indo-Naga war. It is a blessing from God that we are spared that fate, and most fortunate to have our elders today who have survived that terrible time.

But when I look around, I wonder – what good is an independence that exists only as a date on the calendar. But what good is independence to us if, when it comes, it is hollow? What good is a free flag if the people under it still live under the shadow of oppression, corruption, unemployment, and disillusionment?

For Nagaland has long been under the Indian government; our economy is tied to it. And while this generation may never face bayonets or barricades, we are already finding battles of a different kind. There is the battle to find work in an economy where jobs are scarce, the battle to make our voices heard in a system which is entangled in corruption, nepotism, and cynicism.

It is also most regrettable that for decades slogans of freedom, promises of peace and pledges to end the struggle have been made, and yet the cycle continues. Even during elections, those same promises are resurrected not as steps towards unity, but as tools for political gain. I once saw an interview done by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with the Late Satyapal Malik, Former Governor of J&K and Meghalaya. In the interview, this section caught my interest. Satyapal Malik had compared the politics of the past, to that of today. When India had first achieved independence, politics was seen as a duty to the nation. Over time, that duty turned into a profession, and has now degraded to become a business.

It is my fear that Nagas faces the same situation. Our fight for freedom was an important duty, but now it feels like a business, a tool to exploit during elections and a card to play when votes are needed.

It would be unfair to place all responsibility on the government. While leadership plays a major role in shaping our future, its effectiveness also depends on the engagement of the people. At times, we have accepted shortcomings as unchangeable, overlooked problems when they seemed distant from us, and allowed differences to distract us from shared goals. For independence to succeed, both leaders and citizens must work together with mutual accountability.

If Nagaland were to separate immediately, the unfortunate state is that we might find ourselves worse off than before, given our current conditions. Freedom without stability is a ship without a rudder—it can sail, but only into storms.

Still, I do not merely write to condemn, but also to raise awareness and contribute towards hope, for I believe our country can rise above this. This will require a different kind of courage than the one our forebears showed. Their courage faced the oppressor from without; ours must face the failings within.

We must take small steps and measures that will strengthen Nagaland, and in doing so empower not just the people, but the freedom struggle as well.

For one, if the Central government truly wishes to seek peace in the disputed region, it must have the courage to acknowledge the mistakes of the past. A simple apology – a gesture of respect for the generations that suffered – would go further than any campaign promise or political bargain. Words alone will not mend wounds, but they can begin the process of healing if they are sincere.

Additionally, Nagaland must ensure new leadership, one that puts principle above personal gain. We must choose leaders who can not only guide people but inspire, and lead Nagaland out of its period of stagnation.

Furthermore, let schools educate the youth about their past, and whether we become free or not; let the next generation go out into the world and proudly proclaim they are Naga first. Let us collect the stories and memories of our elders, before their time comes.

But most importantly, the Nagas cannot allow their cause to be defined solely by what they oppose. Here I quote a relevant quote by ShashiTharoor when he offered suggestions to the Congress leadership: “We need to appeal to them by coming across as constructive critics, not offering unrelenting negativity. We say what we are against, but what are we for? It is far from clear.” His words capture our challenge: to inspire, we must pair critique with solutions and present a roadmap that speaks to the hopes of our people, especially the youth. For every injustice we highlight, we should offer a remedy; for every criticism, a constructive alternative—only then can we gain the trust of those weary of empty rhetoric.

Let us ensure that the elders who fought before us that their struggle was not in vain, and that their dream, their hope for freedom will continue. Our duty is not just to break free from the grasps of another power, but to prove ourselves worthy of the independence we demand. And when the Naga flag finally rises without any shadow over it, we will know we did not just inherit freedom – we built it.

KevileDolie