As the dust finds a new place and moment to settle in after five hectic days of active persuasion, the questions is, what next and how to move forward? Perhaps it should rightly begin by seriously evaluating the experiences and defining the valuable lessons learnt and, identifying the areas requiring improvement. Amongst many other priorities, two matters stand out. The first unquestionably involves, critiquing and declaring the degree to which the Expo served its purpose; and the second, issues of public accountability concerning extravagant disbursement. The underlying rationale and reasoning is significant for satisfying elements required towards determining follow-up activities that will have any semblance of relevancy.
The outcome of any event lies in the democratic character of the process. It is therefore essential to go back to the people and discern between hope and possibilities within a realistic time-line. This is essential because Nagas are on the point of the crisis in sustainable development. Along with other indigenous peoples, Nagas are an example of a sustainable society which historically evolved with diverse ecosystems. Nonetheless, it also true that in the face of globalization, poverty and lack of ownership to determine its own destiny, Nagas have lost much of its voice; threatening their dignified existence.
It is stated that Indigenous people, land and resources are the hotspot of biodiversity and with their resources of forest, minerals, water, bio-diversity, medicines and genetic diversity almost untouched, global corporations have aggressively sought them, which sometimes included, pushing indigenous communities off their lands. It is fairly accurate to state that indigenous peoples find themselves at the frontline of global expansions.
With greater emphasis on export-led development and with the tendency of pleasing financial investors and markets, there is much pressure on local markets to prematurely produce and export more than they are prepared. Consequently, with much of the produce exported to meet investors’ demands, the local community faces immense difficulty in meeting local needs and invariably has to resort to importing goods they were once self-sufficient in. This effortlessly pushes a community into poverty and debt.
With new trade and investment agreements opening up previously inaccessible land to industrial extraction of natural resources, there is an unprecedented rate and scale in which big dams, mines, pipelines, energy development, genome studies and high military presence are being aggressively pursued. With governments binding themselves to new global economic treaties, decisions on export-development and international trade and investments are made without consulting local communities.
The reality however remains that without proactive measures against unequal and discriminatory trade treaties and investment agreements, indigenous people are at peril, along with their knowledge, culture, traditions, and the hope for preserving a more holistic way of life for future generations.
Hence, for the sake of the future, it is essential that the government take into active participation local communities – not just in name – but through accountable and democratic decision-making processes. It must affectively ensure that local demands are first met to prevent consequences of export-development on indigenous people. Effectively, the development strategy needs to be people centered, one in which the aspirations and needs of the Nagas are foremost!
