Azo Wetsah
President, Tenyimei Students' Union Dimapur
Some few years back, I was accompanying a goods truck meant for my Aunty's shop from Dimapur to my village, Chizami...I was not exposed to the corruptions of the society then.At the Check post in Kohima, I was appalled when one of the police officer came to me and said, "Saman kiba bukhia aseh koileh direct kuwih aruh alop adjust kurikeneh jawih"(If you are carrying any contraband items or liquor then tell us directly and pay us some bribe and leave)
I felt insulted and hurt because he has thought that I am involved in illegal activities, hurt because he had the audacity to agree to be in partnership with me for the same. He was a lawman, for God's sake!!
I kept thinking about his words for the whole of my journey and thought of sending the story about the incident to a newspaper and see that he was punished...The next morning after I reached my village I saw a tragic accident of a family in which the husband was killed and my aunty was commenting saying how hard it'll for his surviving wife and children...My thoughts went back to the policeman, who has asked for bribe and I began thinking about the ramifications if I expose him, how much it might affect his family and his children. If I expose him and actions was taken against him, he might lose his job and he might be the only bread earner in the family ,such thoughts crossed my mind and I began to feel sorry for his family.. In the end, I decided to keep quiet and forget about the incident.
Likewise everyone of us must have come across such incidents.One of your cousins got a job through backdoor but you decided to keep quiet or any other illegal activities just because you feel sorry for him/her...
This is one of the most dangerous things that are crippling our society today.
Let us be bold enough to stand up for the truth, speak up for what is right and say enough is enough! We won't tolerate anymore! We won't understand anymore. Only then our Naga Society will thrive.
Kuknalim
