Khekiye K. Sema
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]oday the Nagas have completed our long turbulent journey of 50 years to Statehood. The Naga Tribes within and without have all made their contributions the best they could, and every Tribe deserves an honest pat on the back without exception. It is in a time like this that each Tribe should however spend some quality time to retrospect and introspect on of all the positive contributions made along the way not forgetting the negative ones as well, to rectify the rough edges as we trudge towards our common future.
As a Sumi I can only look back in time with nostalgia of all the laudable positive roles played by the first generation elders of our Tribe with some amount of honest pride. Then I look at our present generation with a rather depressed feeling of regret as we reflect upon the negative image we have begun to perpetuate before the community of Tribes.Sumis have proudly occupied a position of distinction in the first chapter of Nagaland History, be it in the Overground or the Underground set up. The Sumi has been an integral part of all the landmark events in shaping the destiny of the Nagas every step of the way along with other Tribal leaders. This, no one can deny. The first known Sumi during the British Colonial time began with a person like Nizhevi Sema who too was a signatory of the famous Naga Memorandum to the Simon Commission way back on 10th January 1929. The turbulent years of the Nagas War of Independence under the able leadership of AZ Phizo as President of the NNC and the formation of Federal Government in March 1956 threw up a lot of Sumi luminaries like Scato Swu, Kughato Sukhai, Isac Swu, Kaito Sukhai, Zuheto Swu, Zuheshe, Kuhovi and their likes in the Naga National Movement.
In the Overground set up, personalities like Late Khelhose Sema, who was not only the first Naga representative in the Assam Legislative Assembly when Naga Hills was still under Assam and was the first and only Deputy Minister amongst the Nagas, in charge of the Tribal Affairs way back in 1957, but was an active member in the NPC (Naga people’s Convention), an Interim Body Member and a signatory of the 16-Points Agreement which led to the creation of the State of Nagaland. Other important personalities like Dr. Hokishe Sema who too began his career in the administrative set up of the Government and as a politician, a Minister and subsequently became Chief Minister, Ihezhe, Tokheho, Nihovi, K.L.Chishi former CM for a short while, I.K.Sema also a Deputy Chief Minister once...all can’t be named but the list is long. The point being made is that in each generation the Sumis have left behind a respectable footprint in (Naga) history.
What does bother my mind is the negative impression that is fast beginning to emerge. The Western Sumi situation is perhaps the most vexing phenomena. Living in the midst of all the Tribes the Sumis have shown less courtesy or due respect to others and the joke which says “Dimapur is a nice place if not for mosquitoes and the Sumis” sums up the total perception for our Tribe in the eyes of our other tribal brothers. In almost every street corner fight Sumi presence is noticed. Theft of various kinds being reported in the daily news papers has the Sumis taking up most of the space. The present problem of extortion has a high percentage of Sumi involvements everywhere. Does the present scenario not hurt the Sumi reputation critically? We have been cultivating the ill will of others and the time has come for us to open-mindedly assess our shortcomings for a corrective intent.
The difficult question is, “why is all this happening”? Let us first honestly evaluate the genesis of the human quality of the Sumi Villages that were rampantly established in and around Dimapur. It goes without saying that the dogged determination with which the Sumis permanently stemmed the tide of Assam encroachment in the plain sector is an added feather on the headgear of the Nagas that others had not dared to face at that given point of time. I am clearly aware of the controversial sentiment that our Angami brothers have had over the years about this issue but a time must come when this unalterable ground reality is realised and acknowledged and move on however much it may seem unacceptable to them. In the end, it still belongs to the Nagas should we stop looking through a tribalistic prism. A great many good and honourable Sumis who adventurously departed from their ancestral villages to open new villages in Dimapur area did so observing all the traditional norms with reasonable householder followings to begin a new Village. Such villages still have an inherent semblance of traditional character with lesser presence of illegal immigrants.
However, many more who followed suit comprised people who had difficulties living under their village authority or were ‘Aqa Axe’ (customary bonded labourers) or were landless, all banding together to form new villages without insignificant followings. Unfortunately, in this mad rush to open new villages, the authorities responsible for issuing permits did so without strictly checking the antecedents of the applicant’s capability and preparedness. The resultant impact is what we are now wrestling with...the rampant intake of the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants (IBI) into such villages because of the lack of requisite population. Several critical fault lines have begun to multiply and is rapidly growing beyond our control. Mark my words. It will lead not only the Sumis but the Nagas as a whole, to our demise without doubt if corrective measures are not taken in earnest.
Consider the following scenario very carefully:
1. Sumis have started marrying the IBIs and vice versa. With the passage of time, deportation of the IBIs from Nagaland will become a Herculean if not impossible task, considering the ground reality “blood linkage” proposition. There can be no Law that could be effective enough to stop this unfortunate inter marriage between the Nagas and the IBIs. The more we allow this to continue the more deeper we sink into the quicksand.
2. Today the IBIs are the helpless underdogs. They have nothing, absolutely nothing in their own country worth going back for. Therefore, they will do anything and everything we ask them to do in order to remain within our fold. With the passage of time they and their children are earning domicile legitimacy. Compounding this dangerous natural evolution of their rights are the unscrupulous Politicians in connivance with the GBs, capitalizing on this serious abnormality by enrolling them into the electoral rolls without considering the consequences at all. The short-sightedness of this process is as damning as holding a short fused time bomb in our hands. Soon it will blow in our face, if not today, tomorrow for sure.
3. Once the IBIs are clearly entrenched with legal rights as they are earning with every passing years thus far, that day will not be too far ahead when we would have a Bangladeshi Miah contesting the elections and win too, judging by their fanatical loyalist disposition and the steady growth of their population. It would also do us well to remember that while the Sumis are flaunting their easy money today from share cropping, the IBIs are also earning equivalent amount and growing incognito all the time. The Sumis can be bought off when such an event of their contest takes place. Nagaland will then have IBI MLA (s) in our Legislative Assembly in the next 20-30years from now and the role reversal will then be complete... we will become servants in our own backyard. Be forewarned, the younger generation of today will face this demographic shift in their senior years. Simply put, how would you feel having to apply for a job appointment from a IBI Minister who was once your servant? Yes, I know this seem like an impossible scenario, but people, it is a reality train heading our way, and fast.
4. The immediate complexity lies in the sudden change of a delicate social distortion caused by ‘rags to riches’ syndrome. By and large the Sumis have settled down reasonably comfortably and many have become the “neo-rich” all of a sudden through share cropping with the IBIs without a sweat. It has caused a very serious mental imbalance with this ‘kya hai’ attitude that wealth dictates, growing steadily and overflowing into the cosmopolitan environ of Dimapur. The reputation of the Sumis is being squandered without a check mechanism to stem this negative tide. Finding a full proof system would not be easy. The magnitude of this IBI induced problem could very well cause a civil war proportion of a confrontation even now but would get a lot more complex in the days ahead. The Government and the Politicians need to wake up to this impending tsunami that is gathering momentum to hit us in the future days.
The Western Sumi Hoho and GB Hoho should study this picture very sensitively and consider deporting all the IBIs from their respective villages with some sense of urgency. Thereafter, with an “open door policy”, replace all the IBIs by taking in all the unemployed Sumis and other Nagas floating around aimlessly in Dimapur city, seeking for an honest livelihood opportunity. Give them some space. They surely are a better alternative to the IBIs...they would all be Nagas. Of course sacrifices would be required to be made... we must all be prepared to work and eat. It would reduce the “Sumi pain” from Dimapur and at the same time replenish their respective village population.
Meanwhile all GBs should insist that the ones who have married into our community should invariably be converted to Christianity, as unpalatably unfair as it may sounds. The Church should also address this menace and consider mass conversion possibility as well, failing which the IBIs should be shown the door. This could neutralise the communal imbalance to an extent despite the fact that the overall canvas will remain largely unaltered. It is about time that the Nagaland Government also place a serious focus on this issue and initiate stringent measures to stem this monstrous tide before it is too late.
Coming to Zunheboto, the Sumi HQs, I have often heard a common pronouncement that the Sumis are an excessively individualistic Tribe. Perhaps there is a great deal of truth in this observation. We as a Tribe have a reasonable presence both in the Political sphere as much as in the bureaucracy. It may also be concurred that the comparative growth of ZBTO Township may not be commensurate to our overall presence in the system. The lack of development is often attributed to the indifference of the Politicians and the Bureaucrats. Having been a bureaucrat myself, I would be prepared to concede 50% of this accusation as acceptable in all fairness. But let me also make an observation. During my entire career I did not have the pleasure of experiencing even a single instance when our community representatives had come to me for a common development request. Whatever little that I was able to do in Zunheboto Town from the Department that I had worked in has been purely my own personal initiative.
It’s about time that the Sumi Hoho and other NGOs do a serious brainstorming for a comprehensive annual development plan for the District and present it the CM and his Cabinet Colleagues and all the other relevant Heads of Development Departmental including our own Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries. Remember one simple principle: we are expected to fight for our share of development along with all the other Tribes by merit. With the meagre budget nothing will come easy from the Government but making no effort at all as has been the case in the past, will result in nothing coming our way. Rather than point your finger at others all the time, concentrate on the three fingers pointing back at you and start acting constructively.
The recent incident of Kiho, GB of Shena (New), getting thrashed by the Faction(s) is not an exclusive experience. Such incidents have recurred hundreds of time and will continue to happen again. Why? Over the years, the Sumi Hoho and the GB Hoho, who hold the apex responsibility to ensure public safety and security, has not honourably upheld their assigned duty most of the time. They have been overzealous to forgive every misdeed of the Faction(s) either in fear or for vested interest. The public too have always stood in silence and let gross injustice be committed over and over again.
The youth seem to feel that this is not their call. Remember what Edmund Burk said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. It is time for all public and youth to wake up, stand up and together say “enough is enough”! Let justice be done. The Sumi and GB Hoho are more likely to do their part if only they know that the public is behind them and would not take such incidents lying down. The public indifference and silence has perpetuated this indiscretion and arrogance being repeated on the part of the factions and this attitude of the citizens of Zunheboto needs to change if they want sanity to prevail.
Let me end with the Church which ought to be our community’s strength and foundry. With the advent of Christianity, the first generation of lesser educated Theologians served the Church. We may have looked down on them but they served with an honest fear of the Lord as the beginning of their knowledge and they did it with a commitment. They kept our people and our Church united. Today we have well educated Theologians, academically proficient but equally conscious in their endeavour to achieve materialistic status, popularity and importance in the eyes of man.
There is no denying that some amongst them do deserve our support and praise but the majority seem to have abandoned their true calling and conscience. Somehow many of them display an attitude that their God can’t see in the dark or under the table. The Sumi Church is in tatters, divided and weak. As long as the Sumis Theologians continue to place themselves on a pedestal instead of the Lord that they profess to worship, as long as they continue to polish their egos and concentrate on their personal wealth and popularity the Sumis will continue our downward slide.
I sometimes wonder how it would be like bringing the all the SBAKs, be it North, South, Central, East and West under one Central Administrative umbrella through equal representation of all the Zones. While each SBAKs work independently as it is now, each becoming a strong tributary to the one Centre as an apex body to oversee the greater expansion of our Church activities and uplift the weaker zones economically and spiritually.
After all, are we all not Sumis? What a blessing that would be for the Sumis to stand together as brothers and as a people. A fresh chapter of Sumi rejuvenation could be scripted. I am entitled to dream once in a while so this is my dream.
The writer is a retired IAS Officer.
