K. Nishena Nekha
“Naga national movement has its basis - a people of unique culture and history” That is our core issue. This world has the peoples of the same claims: In that sense we are not entirely different. The question is the circumstances that bind together the diversity into an acceptable whole or the opposite. That opposite was the birth of Naga nationalism.
Short.
From where do the theories of political movement come, or for that matter the economic theories, sociology or astrology? All from the validations of truths by experimentations through the history. And we are in the process of making history. That means contributing to new theories of national movement. Why and how? That means why fight for liberation and the strategies and chain of events in the course of protracted fight and its natural consequences between the conflicting parties and within the people fighting for their rights.
Any serious Naga intellectual must be watching the whole episodes of what is going on. I, for one, am nowhere judgmental but following the chain of events and saying to myself “oh these can happen”. A good recording could result into a treasure of great value not only for patriotic reminiscence but crucial reference in future. Today’s happenings will be tomorrow’s reference and the scholars would pick the facts to support their theorization. One particular fact we are likely to contribute to the quest for the consequences in the process of long-drawn fight for freedom is intra-activists conflict and giving the adversary a good time of bemusement as a result. Too sad indeed that has to happen in our case.
We are not ending up in wonderment that freedom fighters had to split into several factions. This is not the first time the Nagas are experiencing this unfortunate division. Other peoples also did that and yet, ultimately, were handed freedom. So, if the Nagas can unite first before attaining political freedom, which our predecessors could not necessarily do that, that will be another fact we shall be contributing to a new theory of national movement. But India is sure unity first is not our carrot and we do not see a stick in her hand. I hope the Nagas are coming to maturity through many trials and errors. And there is no regret because there is nothing like learning by experience. That means mistakes should not repeat.
Our experiences include atrocities in the hands of the mighty Indian army, killings on both the sides - Nagas and Indian army, deadlock of peace talks, peace accords and their resultant discords, and so on. Our history for future reference will include display of mass enthusiasm and uncompromising patriotism of every young and old. Peace efforts of the state government, the NBCC, the Naga Hoho, the NMA, the NSF, the NPMHR, and the tribal hohos will all be ensconced in the thick book of Naga history. So far so good.
The records will also not exc1ude the failure stories and the mistakes which might have been committed while good was intended. This chapter definitely will record something like the vanity of peace efforts initiated by NGOs. Our grandchildren will also read the examples of the Sumi Hoho being huddled into a virtual arrest for designing something thought to be conducive to peace. The Hoho-initiated peace accord was blatantly violated by the signatory faction(s) and the Hoho’s condition could not stand. Every party was wrongly correct and what could we say?
Yes, we are fighting for independence and every Naga is involved; but are we not a bit more noisy? This is my feeling. You have a million rights to contest the idea. Here I mean everybody seems to have become peace broker and go-between and no one seems to have been left out doing nothing! Everyday on one road or the other there are some vehicles zooming with NGOs going for peace and unity. We can not fathom the energy, the precious time and wealthy they must have invested. Many young volunteers grayed their skulls running in NGO vehicles.
Who does not support peace and reconciliation? Who is for killing and war? Not even an idiot. But what our brothers are doing says ‘my dear, we will shoot you because sovereignty is very near’. Some are saying ‘some square kilometers of land, buildings and cars for my family in the name of this’. The point now is to settle down and evaluate. How far had the peace efforts been heeded to? What noise had led the cadres to think themselves of. How the pampering had led to their concept of self-esteem. Why should we talk about equi-closeness or, for that matter, equi-distance? Should we end up clearing domestic quarrels? We have nobler and higher cause to attend to. Does India not have the reason to laugh heartily when we are bogged with sorting internal mess which may not occur?
Now, give enough time to the real fighters; give them a quiet time to self study. There is a need for proactive non-mass-interference. That is for positive. Not a bit of relinquishing overtone anyway. This could be a weird approach and may be drastic. Rousseau, the naturalist, would have liked the idea too. Grant them carte blanche and space to refresh their minds. They know what they do; if not, they should. Our falling over each other to interfere in this movement looks like parents’ continuous care for kids and not allowing them to develop. Appreciate and encourage the potentiality of our men. Inability to do that is going to spoil them. Factions should now do the right thing because they are being watched even by silent Naga observers.
