The Naga freedom struggle is more than fifty years old .By any standard fifty years is long enough and no nation can sustain such a prolonged struggle unless its people endorses its effort and make the necessary sacrifices. At the initial stage of Naga struggle for freedom, it was a people movement where every Naga played a role to sustain it. Though there was oppression and hardship the people were contended with the struggle.. Many villages were burned down to ashes and were deserted. Nagas were butchered like animals by the aggressors but the patriotism of the Nagas did not cool down. The struggle kept on continuing amidst uncountable tortures and destruction.
But today the present scenario has changed. Instead of fighting against the aggressors, we have been fighting among ourselves. The divide and rule policy sown by the enemy has been able to hypnotize the Nagas, it has played havoc with thousands of lives. The enemy has planned well to sabotage the Naga freedom struggle and their plan is working aggressively. We have to rise up to the occasion and take a unified stand irrespective of factions, tribes, geography etc. Otherwise we have to dig our own grave.
The Naga struggle has sustained upto this day because of the people’s support and sacrifices. But today the common people are in a dilemma whether to continue their support to the struggle or not. The tide has change and the people are the one who suffer the most. In the name of sovereignty, we have been killing each other. Now people are even afraid to talk openly about the Naga struggle for fear of their lives. The public is in doubt whom to support and whom not, they are left with no choice. Taxes, extortions, violence, and corruptions are increasing day by day. The Naga struggle is gradually decaying and if this trend continues it will lead to nowhere but will create further problem which will subsequently lead to our downfall.
Unity is absent not only within the so called Naga freedom fighters but also amongst the Naga public. We can hardly find brotherhood and fraternity among ourselves and not only that ‘Ism’has shown its ugly face in our Naga society and if not deal properly it will create havoc. Unity is a must to achieve the desire goal. There will be no permanent solution until and unless every section of Nagas are united. For the sake of the Naga nation, Nagas have endured untold miseries and hardships in the hands of the aggressors. Human rights violation of the greatest magnitude was perpetuated without an iota of qualm. Thousands have fallen prey to the enemy’s bullet; thousands tortured and maimed for life.. Women folk are rape and molested; villages raze to ground, crops, and properties worth billions of dollars destroyed. All these sacrifices have been done so that we can live freely in our own land without unwanted interference from outside. But today the situation has completely changed. It seems all this sacrifices made by the Naga patriotic has gone futile, meaningless.. Is this all, what we can give them in return for their sacrifices?
Let’s all take a break and think deep where we have gone wrong. As human, mistakes are made, but instead of blaming one another lets solve it amicably and peacefully. Bloodsheds will only escalate the situations. The theme of the Naga nation is “Nagaland for Christ”. So as people of Christ, let us be practical and true to ourselves. Everybody wants peace and progress, it will come only when every Naga join hands and learn to help one another. There is an urgent need for a movement to reconcile every Naga brethrens, a movement back by the Naga society which can transcends all barriers and bring the warring brothers under one roof. Whether over ground or underground a consensus must be reach to achieve greater height. When there will be reconciliation and unity among the Nagas, the Naga struggle will get greater coverage, more public support and more fire power. When all these team together, there will be much more pressure on the aggressors and it will compel them to go in line with Naga people’s desire.
We are at the crossroad of life. There are many who carry scars and wounds that are not visible from outside, they are in desperate need of professional diagnosis and treatment. The voice for peace is becoming louder and louder than ever before. It is a situation which should be handle delicately. There should be no room for ego, ism, and hatred. Burying all hatchets, let’s march ahead with a new vigor.
One nation, one people, and one solution must be our mantra to achieve our goal. Divisiveness and factionalism will only create more problems and will do no good to anyone. So let’s solidified the bond of oneness and move forward to heal and to bring reconciliation among the different factions of Nagas. Life may not be smooth sailing but if we fight under one banner it may be easier and will gain greater mileage. Let us work hard in a true Christian spirit for the reconciliation and unification of our nation, so that peace and development will prevail over our land.
The recent reconciliation football match played between the civil societies and the Naga national workers (from different factions) have given a ray of hope to plaster the cracks that have formed in our relationship with one another. The role played by the church and the NGO’s is laudable and appreciable but I believe and hope that there is still much to be done and much to be achieved. So let’s be strong and let us paint our globe with the colors of love, peace, joy, and harmony.
Thomas Kinkade eloquently said “When we learn to say a deep, passionate yes to the things that really matter, then peace begins to settle onto our lives like the golden sunlight sifting to a forest floor”.
KUKNALIM
Vilasetuo Suokhrie
