Kaka D Iralu
In a recent conversation with a former Correspondent of the Times of India at Mumbai, after several days of interaction, I told my friend: “Both of us are of the same age and both of us are of the same profession, but do you realize that we have lived our lives in totally different situations.” When my friend asked, “How is that so?” I replied him thus: “In 1956, you were born into a world where your country was free from political occupation and oppression but in my case, I was born into a world of occupation and oppression. I went on to say: Because of your political freedom, you were able to pursue your dreams and ambitions without any internal or external threats. You have also had the joy of seeing your country develop into a powerful nation because of its freedom and liberty. But as for me and my generation, we have lived our entire lives under political oppression where even our right to life had been nullified by heinous Indian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. I concluded by saying: “As for me and my people, we are still yet to start to dream or pursue our ambitions. We are yet to start to live…”
Yes, 60 years is a long period in an individual’s life and seventy years is also a long period in a nation’s life span; but for all Nagas, we have seen only military occupation, oppression and stagnation for the past 70 years- August 1947-August 2016.
Nevertheless, what is the foundation of Naga nationalism and sovereignty, which has been able to withstand all these years of oppression? As rightly pointed out by Dr. Hoshi, “The ideal sovereign Nagaland originated from time tested traditional practices in village republics and not from a conceived theory.” (The ideals of Naga nationalism-A reflection, Morung Express, Sept.12, 2016). Naga nationalism and Naga sovereignty is indeed based on concrete historical, political and cultural facts. Here Nagas are not defending a Naga sovereignty residing in their body parts (As opposed to sovereignty is with the people theory) but a sovereignty that is based on an unconquered territory called Nagaland which had been inhabited by Nagas from time immemorial. This concrete land and concrete people are not an idealistic theory but a geographical and anthropological reality. And Naga nationalism is fidelity to these historical and political facts. In other words, Naga nationalism is not an aspiration for a nationalistic ideal but a defense of a national reality and geography. This Naga nationalistic reality was not a product of Phizo’s idealistic imagination but a historical and physical reality upon which Phizo built his Naga nationalism. In other words, the historical reality and platform was already there before Phizo stepped into the picture in the 1940’s. I make these distinctions, because though Phizo had deservedly been given the political title of “The father of the nation,” the real spiritual father of the Naga nation is God and not Phizo or any other Naga. This fact is also true of every nations in human history (Acts 17:26).
In conclusion, Naga nationalism is not based on some fantasy-oriented idealism but based on a real people and a real land. Naga nationalism therefore, will continue to live on as long as the Naga people and their land exist.
