Dr Asangba Tzudir
In the early 2020s, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Libya Mali, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen have all been described as failed states (Wikipedia). Simply put, a failed state is one where the political or economic system has become so weak that the governance is no longer in control. There are also concerns of more countries following this path.
Considering the intensity of the situation in those countries, the same cannot be said for the small state of Nagaland. Now, the claim of the Rising People’s Party (RPP) that “Nagaland has been termed as a ‘failed state’ and the corruption Capital of India” and stating that “Nagaland continues to reel under the perpetual cycle of corruption and misgovernance and continues to be in news for wrong reasons” is very much justified. And sadly, it is not a new emerging trend, rather it has become a ‘normalized’ condition.
The fact that the state of Nagaland is suffering from an economic dependency syndrome is reason enough for the state of Nagaland to be considered a ‘failed state’. It is also attested by the ‘oppositionless state of political affairs.’ Another reason for being a ‘failed state’ also stems from the lack of a ‘will’ to cleanse the unjust and unfair system, so also the failure to deliver on policies and recommendations. This takes us to the question of ‘change,’ a term or a ‘situation’ that has come to haunt the state of Nagaland.
While there is claim of a “resounding cry of the Naga people yearning for change”, in reality, the resounding cry seems to be stopped because of elements forcing to compromise change. There are many that religiously abide by the Lord’s Prayer – “Give us this day our daily bread,” however the pursuit of happiness have taken such a material level that for many the prayer and petition goes beyond the humble Lord’s prayer, and trespasses over what the good Lord is willing, and thereby exceeding one’s means. And cutting long stories short, we have our Chief Minister Rio saying that the “State can progress and develop if funds are used judiciously.” As such, the end results find compromised. The solace being that Nagaland is not in a motionless state, it very much is in a state of ‘whatever’ motion.
This also explains how the resounding voice and the call for change become feeble or where situations are comfortable that voices of change are raised. The term change encapsulates a wide ranging connotation that in context it is very difficult even on paper to take a reference point to talk about the idea of change.
The present despondent state of corrupt affairs in its various avatar is such that it has ‘tentacled’ into every sphere of human activity be it in the level of bureaucracy, politics, Church or the individual and the public at large. In contrast, very close by, our neighboring state Assam is mulling for a 10-year jail, Rs. 10 Crore fine for unfair means in recruitment exams, a proposal in introducing the Assam Public Examination (measures for prevention of unfair means in recruitment) Bill, 2024.
Bringing a holistic change in every sphere of human activity might seem like an insurmountable task especially in the present context of the state. However, it is the change approach that matters. Firstly, a change in attitude is called for which would help identify and also make one understand what is to be changed and how a process of change can be brought about. Taking the case of the institutional level, very often, people at the helm of affairs while trying to create a change try to bring in wide sweeping changes when the condition is intricately webbed that neither a linear nor a blanket operation will be able to create the desired change impact.
For real change to happen or even create a process of change within the sea of despondency, as individuals it is important to firstly shed the attitudinal trend of wearing ten gallon hats and recreate a culture of ‘deserved eating.’ One would wonder how those beautiful traditional communitarian values have given way for selfishness, undeserved eating and living beyond one’s means. To create a process of change towards building a new Nagaland, it calls for a change beginning with change in mindsets and a reaffirmed ‘will to power and truth’ at every level of policy making, governance and human activity which can create a U-turn from being a failed state to one of success.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir writes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com).
