Picturesque Nagaland

Using the platform of the 6th North East Business Summit held at Mumbai from January 21 to 22nd, 2011, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has once again done his best to project and promote Nagaland as a tourist and investment destination. How convinced or satisfied the business leaders are on the nineteen point presentation made by the Chief Minister, time will tell. However as Rio himself has admitted in his speech at Mumbai, which is that despite sustained efforts of the DoNER Ministry and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and also the ‘Investors Meets’ held as far away as Thailand, Vietnam and even New York, very little tangible investment has taken place in the region, especially in Nagaland. As such the Chief Minister has done the right thing by raising the very relevant question: “What is preventing the inflow of investment into the region?” Hopefully the present establishment in Nagaland will realise that it is all of us i.e. we the people of the State will have to find the answer/s to this question. We may complain or argue that the images of violence and insurgency in the region or Nagaland being projected in the media may have a negative impact in the minds of the investors. However we need to realise that people or companies will not invest their hard earned money unless they are guaranteed a semblance of political order and the functioning of the rule of law. We need to ask ourselves whether our State, its people or for that matter our institutions can be relied upon for others to engage in trade or industry without hindrance. Right now, the answer is no. Unless, therefore, we improve ourselves, we cannot expect others to come with their money.
 
Looks Good from Far but Far From Good
 
Our Chief Minister has also tried to out forth the argument that many of the States in the NE region are more peaceful than most States in other parts of the country. This argument is subject to debate because even the term peace has other connotation which cannot be ignored. Rio has also clarified to the business audience that even in States where ‘political movements’ exist, ‘peace processes have been set into motion, as in the case of Nagaland’. He has also argued that in our State ‘life is as normal as it could be anywhere else’. He could be right. But then why are there no investors interested in coming to Nagaland? Rio cannot just argue or project Naga people as peace loving and hospitable. No doubt this may be true and many outsiders have also commended us for these fine qualities. However the people from outside who admire Nagas also tend to over romanticize our people. Beneath the surface of our beautiful land and its people, we have our own problems, which we need to acknowledge and take steps collectively to correct them. Otherwise Nagaland and its people will forever remain like a picturesque postcard to be admired from afar. In fact, according to the Chief Minister, Nagaland was awarded ‘India’s Most Picturesque Destination of the year 2008 at the 11th Today’s Travellers Platinum Awards. That’s precisely the picture of Nagaland. We look good from far but far from good. While attempting to woo investors, the Chief Minister has also made a brief mention of the constraints such as poor infrastructure, subsistence economy, social turmoil, insurgency and an environment of fear psychosis. This is the other picture of Nagaland and its people which needs to be improved. If we can do this, things can look much better up close. Then maybe the investors will start coming in.