Kaka D. Iralu
To be raped must be a horrible experience. A rape also caries a social stigma for the victim. By admitting that one has been raped, the victim exposes to the public that that the most private of one’s physical being has been desecrated and that the victim is scarred for life. In other words, though the rape experiences in itself is a most humiliating experience, the “after effects” of the rape that the victim must live with, seems more humiliating than the experience itself.
In such a situation, what can a rape victim do? The victim is left with only two options: 1. The victim can keep the experience a secret and thus avoid the “after effects “of a scarred life. 2. The victim can charge the rapist with the evidences and bring the rapist to justice.
In a situation like this, justice can prevail only when the truth is exposed and defended whatever the “after affects” may be. But if the victim is not courageous enough to expose the crime, justice can never prevail.
(I know I have used a rather sordid example to express my point (And I did not enjoy doing it), but I feel that in our national struggle too, there is a complacency and indifference on our parts which has robed us of justice and peace. And I felt that only such a shocking example as a rape victim’s dilemma can re-awaken us from our deep slumber of indifference).
That brings us to the topic that has been expressed as the heading of this article. And it is from the Bible that I will try to explain the contention of my article that unless truth is defended, justice cannot prevail. In Isaiah 59:8 ff, we find the following words of God on how justice would be denied if the truth is left undefended.
“The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths. Their roads they have made crooked; no one who walks in them have peace. Therefore, justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us; we wait for light and lo! There is darkness; and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope like the blind along a wall, groping like those who have no eyes… we all growl like bears; like doves, we moan mournfully…( But) Justice is turned back and righteousness stands at a distance; for truth is fallen in the street and uprightness cannot enter the courts of justice.” The lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. (Isa.59:-8- 15, quoted from NRSV, King James Version & Amplified Bible)
In our political case too, the truth about our national identity and our geographical identity lies fallen in our streets. And we growl like the bears and mourn like the doves, but justice is turned back and righteousness stands at a distance. We are crying for peace but there is darkness and gloom and we are left groping around walls like blind men.
Instead of defending the truth, we are desperately seeking after alternative pragmatic solutions. And if any half baked solution will bring in more money, we seem ready to even sell the thousands of lives that have been sacrificed in the alter of the political truth that Nagas are not Indians and Nagaland is not Indian territory. This fact of our existence and history has been clearly established by our intellectuals and scholars. These truths have been shown to be genetic, anthropological and historical facts. But despite all these facts of our political stand, we are still compromising and are even seeking for alternative solutions-even to the extend of a “Shared sovereignty.”- A concept and word that does not even exist in any political lexicon.
In the defense of any truths- religious, political or economic- everyone must understand that there is always a price to be paid. And in our political case, that price has already been paid by the thousands of lives that have been sacrificed for our national rights. The question today however is: Are there still some Nagas left today, who are courageous enough to make a stand to defend the political truths of our nationhood for which our own kith and kin sacrificed their lives yesterday? Or shall will trample these truths in our streets and allow our adversaries to triumph?
Like the rape victim’s case, our lands have been desecrated by our adversaries. But will we have the courage to expose and defend the truth whatever the consequences may be. This appeal is, by the way, not a call back to arms and violence (though we must be prepared for even such an eventuality). But since there is a ceasefire, this call, at this juncture, is a call for fidelity to the political truths of our nation.
In conclusion, Justice will not prevail if truth is not defended. Consequently, if there is no justice there will also be no peace. Let me end with the words in the same chapter of Isaiah where it says:
“For our transgressions before you are many, and our sins testify against us.”(Ish.59:12)
