P Himpao Lam
Breathes there the man with soul so dead, who never to himself had said, this is my own native land’ - this line from the poem ‘Patriotism’ by Sir Walter Scott, had me pondering for quite sometime. Am I one of those soulless persons? The idea of patriotism is a noble one, with a clear identity one goes out to love more, embracing all people with brotherly love to all of humanity.
Thinking from this light, a realisation dawned on me that my whole being, my status as a person is inalienably linked to the history and well-being of my country. Its shame, its pride, determines my self esteem to a great extent. This state of mind urges me to say something on our national affairs, although fully aware of my inadequacy and short comings.
Nagas at present is so divided at the thought level. There are few patriots involved in the struggle. There are many who are actively involved but knowing not what they are doing and where they are heading. We have another group of people who are seriously concerned but not fully involved. Still again is another group who have no place left for patriotism in their heart. They are sitting comfortably on the heap of wealth; always fearing the change of the status quo.
Naga political issue is a freedom movement, not merely ideological clashes between factions, therefore, one should not become preoccupied with the question of which faction is stronger, or which party wields more power. Historical authenticity and political rightness needs to be kept at the core of our thinking. It is possible that through our reckless behaviour, we may alienate our people, take away their freedom; that later on we find ourselves fighting in their name without them. This loss of people’s mandate will bring about a great damage in the long run. Any shortsighted decision taken with an eye on the short term benefits on the pretext of practicality at the cost of what we actually are fighting for will become a black spot in the history. No one should join the freedom movement with the notion of gaining political independence in a year or two. We need to begin from the fountain of true patriotism that can sustain us for a thousand years.
Today, God’s name is on everyone’s lip. Misuse of God’s name is dangerous and an alarming concern. We have reduced God’s name to a mere cosmetic; a masala to cover up and justify our stands. No doubt, everything is in the hand of God, including our struggle for a sovereign nation. Yet just praying and doing nothing wouldn’t help. God equally calls for our active participation to establish truth and justice. There are some people who tries to be very Biblical in their say, yet in action a close friend of Satan. We should be very careful lest we too become entrapped in this envelope of lies. This contradiction between words and actions is evil because God never contradicts.
Patriotic spirit is eroding day by day. Let us set ourselves right, and shout out in one accord, “This is my own, my native land”; then freedom will automatically come for freedom comes from inside!!
