Thepfulhouvi Solo
IFS (RR-68) Retd Principal Secretary, Nagaland
On 2017, 9th January morning, the AYO (Angami Youth Organization) Volunteers and the Nagaland Police faced each other eyeball to eyeball in a tense situation in Kohima City Main Street. The Nagaland Police, Armed with Automatic Rifles, loaded and ready to use any moment on Order from the Authority, and many of the AYO Kohima-Bandh Volunteers with Wooden and Bamboo Sticks, faced each other, the narrow Street only separating each other. It was a poignant moment of confrontation and any unintended action from either side could cause serious difficulties.
In confrontation mood, it is a test, on both sides, of the principle, discipline and nerve. Some two thousand and seventeen years ago, according to the famous contemporary Jewish Historian –Josephus, a confrontation occurred in the middle of the Jerusalem City during the reckless Roman Governorship of Pilat.
Roman Soldiers Armed in full battle readiness were on duty in the Streets of Jerusalem to prevent any sudden Jewish insurrection against the hated colonial Power: Thousands of Jewish Worshipers from all over the then known World were in the city for the Annual Religious Festival of the Jews.
Suddenly a great riot broke out against the Roman Soldiers; the Jewish worshipers threw stones and any available missiles at the Soldiers. The soldiers killed many of the rioters and when things finally settled down, thousands of worshipers lay strewn dead in the street. The Emperor removed Pilat untimely from the Governorship of Judea. The incident started from an irate Roman Soldier lifting his Skirt and contemptuously showing his Genitals at the worshipers who started throwing stones at him in anger!
The Kohima City Centre at 7:30 AM on 9 January looked completely strange: the Main Street eerily empty, uncommonly quiet, all shops closed except a few Eateries; there was a Woman trying to open the Lock on the front door of her Pharmacy and few Deshuali laborers in the Street.
Soon Northern Angami Youth Volunteers poured out of this, that houses of Northern Angami Constituency I, and phalanges of them moved to the local football Ground Khuochiezhie.
Two lone-armed Police distinctively walked through the Ground from the Southern Gate, in full of view of the collecting youth Volunteers in the ground: some half a dozen Kohima Village GBs sat on plastic chairs on the side. A thoughtless jest or funny remark from any one of the considerable Volunteers in the Ground at the bristly walking two lone Police could cause ugly unpleasant scenes but none of the youth uttered any thing and the two crossed out of the northern Gate without any incident.
Most of the Volunteers carried Sticks and Staff, the atmosphere was slowly getting charged with the rising Sun and the youth leaders reminded one the Volunteers not to be the first to use the Sticks.
From the very beginning of the Rally, it was decided at every respective Village Councils that the Bandh would be observed but it was pointedly reminded to be a Peaceful and non-Violent Rally.
In the days of yore, Angamis accepted violent bare hand fights in the people sometimes but the Person who uses ‘Sei-Ketsie’ (implements of Sticks-Stone) first was considered ‘Wrong’ and declared so. It is odd the AYO Volunteers carried Stick and Staff in the Rally. Fortunately, nothing more serious happened: A Peaceful, Non-Violent democratic Rally with fashioned Staff and Sticks with Nails is Unconscionable.
The Nagaland Police showed exemplary forbearance and Restrains. They and their Officers from the Top to the Bottom deserve praise and applause. Civilians and the Police together must constitute the quality of the Society we all desire to uplift.
One of the greatest examples of Peaceful Resistance, seared in the Psyche of the People of the whole World, is perhaps of the Jewish Settlers in Gaza, refusing to vacate their Houses in the Territory the Israeli Government has voluntarily decided to vacate the nation captured in the War long ago.
The Israeli Police descended on the Settlers and tried to remove them bodily from their Homes. The Settlers community in Groups held each other personally and tightly together to prevent the Soldiers pull them apart and removing them bodily. There was not a single angry voice from any one, there was not a incident of violence and one by one, with considerable pulling and jostling, the Army pulled the Settlers away with care and vacated the Territory of Gaza. What an example of Peaceful Resistance!
At this rate today in Nagaland, the Public may come to have to reject Government unwise decision sometimes and may have to resort to Peaceful Resistance. The Rallies may not be described as ‘Protest Rally’, but rather as ‘Rally To Preserve Citizen Rights’ and the Volunteers may sing Naga Rally Songs ‘Ho-uh......ho-oh; Ho-uh......ho-oh; Ho-uh......ho-oh’ and carry FLOWERS rather than make War Cries AND carry Sticks and Staff.
