An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. This profound statement made by Mahatma Gandhi is more than just relevant today. Gandhi’s words serve as a constant reminder in these perilous days of how the Nagas are being blinded by the politics of division and revenge. The accusations and counter-accusations, the violence and counter-violence and the blame and counter-blame are eating away their very sense of humanness, and are tearing apart the moral fiber that binds Nagas together. Caught in this blinding situation, the Nagas are in grave danger of losing sight of the bigger picture and the path which they aspire to take as a nation.
The Naga journey is a reminder of the many precious and innocent lives that have been cheated off their youth and denied the right to become fully conscious of their potential to generate live giving realities. While the root cause of violence is external in nature, the consequences are very much internal and the threats that stem out of the primary cause have a direct effect on the everyday lives of ordinary men and women. Subsequently, the external and internal violence perpetuated on the Nagas has an adverse end result on the one thing the Nagas cannot afford to lose, which is their human resource. For a small nation like the Nagas, their greatest resource is in their human capacity.
Contrary to popular notion that the rich natural resources are the main asset of the Nagas, it is the people themselves that are the most critical resource for the Nagas. And hence the people need to be developed. No form of material and infrastructure development can be sustained and enhanced unless the people are developed first. It is therefore critical that Nagas realize for themselves that the people are their greatest asset, which needs to be nurtured, nourished and developed. Unfortunately, the present realities indicate that the greatest asset of the Nagas –people – is being abused and shown very little respect. It has caused degradation of human life and continuation of a corrupt society. This in turn has contributed to the continuing violence and counter violence in the Naga context.
For violence and counter violence to end; and for political will to be demonstrated in sincere ways that will enable creating solutions to conflicts, it is essential that a nation must invests in its people. A nation that does not invest in its people is bound to have no respect and very little regard for human life. This tragic fact is fast being reflected in the Naga context as well. And as long as Nagas ignore the need to invest in the people, the cycle of violence will continue to be perpetuated by the politics of an eye for an eye. Such politics have very little to do with the root causes of why there is conflict in the first place. Hence Nagas need to invest in the people. Only through people can new hope arise, because only people can yearn for new beginnings and realize that the best way forward is to make your enemies, your friends.
