ROBERT A. SILVERSTEIN
A year ago today I had my first article published in a Nagaland newspaper. I have been following events in Nagaland closely for over two years and have visited there five times since May 2015.
Since that first article I have had perhaps another 15 to 20 published. In my five visits and many e-mail exchanges with Nagas, I've learned to care about the Naga people generally and have been fortunate enough to make some friends among you.
As an American, it takes a certain temerity to write what I intend to write below, since my own nation is so troubled at the moment: millions of children going to bed hungry, a criminal justice system immersed in racism, politicians at the state level (I live in New York State) corrupt and in prison, a health system catering to the affluent and neglecting the middle class and poor, and much more.
And yet, it would be disingenuous to say that my nation's and state's problems were similar to those in Nagaland (or in India generally). The problems in Nagaland are much much worse, and I therefore feel that I should give my opinion as to what I see as an outsider, a caring outsider, in the hope that it will be of some use to the Naga people. I have chosen to do so because of an article that I just read.
An article in The Morung Express dated April 3, 2017, and in the Eastern Mirror and Nagaland Post dated April 4, 2017, written by Thepfulhouvi Solo, titled, “How can mindset of Nagaland be changed?” views the corruption of Nagaland society in a certain way that is, to me, substantially incorrect.
The author says that the governor of Nagaland has told a number of past chief ministers of Nagaland that “the mindset in Nagaland should be changed.” He also says that, “Reverends and Pastors teach umpteenth number of times in the Pulpit that Christians must change into 'New Creature'.”
He continues, “It is VIPs, Teachers, Thinkers, Writers, the Church and Leaders of the People as 'Role Models' of the Society that have the greatest chance to impact the change the Mindset of the People.”
He suggests that if the new chief minister had announced that he would not run for re-election, it would have served as a great example to the Naga people: “...'the announcement would have electrified the mentality of the whole of Nagaland for a New Journey and the CM would have got unprecedented Moral Authority to rein in the selfish Politicians'.”
He concludes, in his last few paragraphs, by stating, “Nagaland seems blinded with our own stubborn and national self-righteous political arrogance.” He condemns the 'Political Leaders” as treating the government as their own organization to make money and accrue power, for themselves and their family and friends.
Finally, he states, “...it is only strong Public Demonstration in the Street that changes the Government.
“Public Demonstration recently changed the Government of Nagaland but it was by Violence and threat of Mass Violence where even the loud mouth in the Church... gave its Blessings to the undemocratic Violent Force to bring down a democratically elected Government!”
He finally ends, by saying, “This is Nagaland today! It is the leaders who should change Nagaland's mindset.”
So in this relatively brief article, the author goes full circle, first claiming that the leaders should be showing the people the way, then indicating that the leaders have failed the people and it is up to the people, through public demonstration in the streets to force change on the government, then points out that that was done recently, but it was done violently and undemocratically, bringing down a democratically elected government, and concludes where he started, by telling us that it is up to the leaders (earlier in his article accused of corruption) to change Nagaland.
I agree with his statements about the recent bandh which, violent and illegal, forced the CM to resign, as a disgrace and sign of a complete breakdown of law and the rule of law in Nagaland, and certainly feel that the end does not justify the means. Nagaland, in reality, is in chaos.
But I do not agree with the author that Nagas should look to the leaders to save the day and reform themselves and the corrupt system that permeates Naga society. People in power, and thus with power, rarely voluntarily give it up. That's not a rule of Naga society; that's a rule of all humanity going back to the beginnings of recorded history.
I want to quote two “people”: first, a famous New York Times editorialist from the 1960s and 1970s, James Reston, the “philosopher” of the Times OP-ED page, said more than once over his years with the paper, that “the people get the politicians they deserve.” (America deserves Trump!!) The second “person” I want to quote is a cartoon character, and the quote is famous in America. The character is Pogo, and the quote is from April 22, 1970: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
It is long past time that the Nagas stopped looking to be saved from themselves by Christianity, by intellectuals, by teachers, by other VIPs, by anybody else “out there.” Stop passing the buck! All these corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, contractors, police, et al., were all once children, Nagas brought up in Naga society. There is no “corruption” gene. Yes, there is a sense of “stubborn and national self-righteous political arrogance,” something that I've pointed out in many of my articles, arguing against the nationalist movement and Nagalim. The attitude of the activists and many of their followers borders on the delusional, with fantastic ideas about the prowess of the Naga worriors, the entitlement of the Naga people, owed to them by history, by the UN, by their sacrifices, by the government of India, by God. It's all a delusion, fed by victimhood and self-righteousness.
But, on the other hand, the Naga people are no worse, if no better, than most human beings on this planet. They should stop looking for others to change their lives. They can change it themselves, and it does not take a violent revolution. All it takes is hard work, perseverance, and courage.
Found a new political party (one has been contributing articles recently to the Naga papers), contribute funds for a candidate, get honest people in office, and start changing the system. As Naga voters, stop accepting bribes for your vote. If you don't, you deserve the government you get!
Violence and lawlessness is not just wrong; it'll just put more of the same power-loving people in power. YOU change things by acting within the existing system. Stop complaining; stop writing articles about corruption; stop blaming the leaders; just start doing something that will obviously begin to change the system, keeping in mind that there will always be some who will turn out corrupt. Stop looking for perfection, and start working.
