The Naga cause is very clear, but it is the people that complicates it, was an insightful declaration that Uncle Yongkong kept reminding. It was in one of the metro stations of London that I first met Uncle in the summer of ‘99. He was smartly and neatly dressed and had come to the station to take us to his home for food, lest we get lost in the busy London metro. As a student, I was on my way to attend a month-long study program in Europe and had the good fortune to be able to transit in London and meet Uncle.
Compact in stature, Uncle Yongkong’s personality stood out amongst all others in the busy metro station, and it was not difficult to locate him even though I had never seen him before. It was his eyes that reflected and spoke with gentleness, the integrity and dedication for a cause he fought and died for. His calm determination epitomized the resilient resistance in which his generation of Naga nationalist pursued the freedom of the Naga nation.
Uncle Yongkong led a disciplined life; a life rich with experience and sharpened by the realities of struggle, that bore scars of human suffering which yearned for freedom. In his core, Uncle was a man of duty. His strong sense of duty for a cause that called for the liberation of a people was what sustained his spirit in times of loneliness and anguish. He lived life passionately and was an intense storyteller, and would take ones imaginations into the many experiences of hope and courage.
Uncle lived not for himself, but for the future of the Nagas. His desire to see that the future of Naga generations secured in freedom and peace was at the center of his existence. He felt despair and pain with the brokenness of Naga cohesiveness and was deeply worried about its consequences. He strove for the need for Nagas to find understanding from their common struggle and vision, and emphasized on the need for unity in purpose. He often said that a nation without a vision would perish.
In spite of severe pain from arthritis, he continued to write letters, some of which would even take days to complete. This was the kind of man he was. He was deeply concerned for the well-being of younger Naga generations, who he felt were isolated from their history and had little or no knowledge and understanding of the Naga cause. He underlined the need for young Nagas to learn their history and to love their people and land and to steadfastly hold on to Truth.
With Uncle Yongkong’s death, we are witnessing the near-end of a generation that proudly defied the yoke of oppression and zealously pursued freedom. It is because of their stand and contribution, that there is a story to share today. In his death, new life has been found with the knowledge that many more Yongkongs have arisen, inspired to carry on the torch, lit by the elders many years ago.
