The Nagas declared their Independence from the British on 14th August 1946. Does it mean more than 60 years under India's rule? In retrospection, has our struggle for freedom become as hollow as our Declaration of Independence from the British? Where we are as a Naga nation at present and where are we heading to?
The Underground groups have divided into so many factions, we are confused which one to believe and support. What is the reason behind this division? Is it lust and hunger for power? Or ideological differences or personal difference? But I strongly believe its the thirst for power because we don't see any ideological differences.
We also hear about the various talks going on between the various underground groups and the Government of India to discuss the future of the Nagas as a nation. But on the other hand, we the common people for whom they claim to be fighting for, has no clue what’s all the hollabolla about. Doesn't our opinion matter if you say its for our us that you are holding the talks? Why is it all hush hush and why is it that we have to make do with rumors and gossips. Are you going to force your agreements and settlements on us like the way the various underground groups forcibly tax everything that can be seen and touched. And why is it that every sensational cases of kidnappings and extortion and crimes of every hue and colour is connected to an underground faction in one way or the other. Leaders of various don't sacrifice our noble struggle for Independence at the altar of your personal gains and whims.
And fellow Naga brothers and sisters, its time we wake up and face the reality that’s staring at our face because if we are too late, it will swallow us whole. Were we not once known as a brave and martial race? Isn't it time we wake up from our self imposed coma? Are we so bloated with the wealth and material prosperity that being under India's rule has bestowed on us? Have we forgotten what our half-naked, illiterate forefathers fought and gave their life for?
We, the younger are living in the most technologically advanced age as of yet, a global village, with virtual explosion of information and knowledge in every field of human endeavor. But doesn't it seem that our half-naked forefathers who were illiterate in every sense of the term, more politically conscious than us? Doesn't it look like that our half-naked, illiterate forefathers were more futuristic and way ahead in their thought than our comatose generation. Our half-naked, illiterate forefathers stood up against the mightiest Bully of their time - the British, and they too had to acknowledge the Nagas fierce love for freedom and independence. Are we even half the men and women they were??
Shouldn't we be ashamed that we don't have the sense of our own unique identity as a race? Do we, with all our rich culture and heritage have to identify ourselves as someone who has forcibly stamped their identity on us deceitfully? Do we quietly accept their deviousness and discrimination?
The Draconian Armed Forces Special Act (AFSPA) has provided that the army on mere suspicion a) can shoot to kill any person b) destroy any property c) arrest any person without warrant and interrogate him without limit of the number of days d) can enter and search any house without warrant.
But the BEST and the most INTERESTING part is that no legal proceedings i.e court case can be brought against any member of the Armed Forces for any of the above mentioned acts. And remember this can all be done on "MERE SUSPICION" alone.
Doesn't this amount to the grossest abuse of our Human Rights? Aren't we being treated as second-class citizens in our own land? Aren't we being treated as sub-humans and looked down as cattle? Are we inferior to the Mainland Indians in any way? Isn't this the greatest infringement on our Right to Freedom as nobly written down in the Indian Constitution? Is this what India - the land of Mahatma Gandhi call Democracy and Equality and Fraternity? Is this what the Indian Constitution calls "Unity in Diversity"? Are these Draconian passed in any other Indian states other than the North-Eastern states even if they have greater and worse militancy and law and order problems than us? Aren't we being treated as "FOREIGNERS" in our own land?
They see no wrong in implementing Draconian Laws and Acts and righteously claim it is the only way to calm down the violent and sub- standard humans that inhabit this part of the world. They see us, as the Europeans, decades back saw the rest of the world through their racially twisted tinted glass, the so called "White Man's Burden". They justify themselves with rhetoric and well thought out datas which may Blind the world to what’s really going on but its an eye - opener to us and reveal their double-standard , discriminatory and step- motherly attitude. The Indian Govt. love to shout hoarse about the freedom of people to the world decide their fate e.g, they vouch for the right of the Palestinians to a separate state of their own but back home its an altogether different story the classic case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The Underground groups have divided into so many factions, we are confused which one to believe and support. What is the reason behind this division? Is it lust and hunger for power? Or ideological differences or personal difference? But I strongly believe its the thirst for power because we don't see any ideological differences.
We also hear about the various talks going on between the various underground groups and the Government of India to discuss the future of the Nagas as a nation. But on the other hand, we the common people for whom they claim to be fighting for, has no clue what’s all the hollabolla about. Doesn't our opinion matter if you say its for our us that you are holding the talks? Why is it all hush hush and why is it that we have to make do with rumors and gossips. Are you going to force your agreements and settlements on us like the way the various underground groups forcibly tax everything that can be seen and touched. And why is it that every sensational cases of kidnappings and extortion and crimes of every hue and colour is connected to an underground faction in one way or the other. Leaders of various don't sacrifice our noble struggle for Independence at the altar of your personal gains and whims.
And fellow Naga brothers and sisters, its time we wake up and face the reality that’s staring at our face because if we are too late, it will swallow us whole. Were we not once known as a brave and martial race? Isn't it time we wake up from our self imposed coma? Are we so bloated with the wealth and material prosperity that being under India's rule has bestowed on us? Have we forgotten what our half-naked, illiterate forefathers fought and gave their life for?
We, the younger are living in the most technologically advanced age as of yet, a global village, with virtual explosion of information and knowledge in every field of human endeavor. But doesn't it seem that our half-naked forefathers who were illiterate in every sense of the term, more politically conscious than us? Doesn't it look like that our half-naked, illiterate forefathers were more futuristic and way ahead in their thought than our comatose generation. Our half-naked, illiterate forefathers stood up against the mightiest Bully of their time - the British, and they too had to acknowledge the Nagas fierce love for freedom and independence. Are we even half the men and women they were??
Shouldn't we be ashamed that we don't have the sense of our own unique identity as a race? Do we, with all our rich culture and heritage have to identify ourselves as someone who has forcibly stamped their identity on us deceitfully? Do we quietly accept their deviousness and discrimination?
The Draconian Armed Forces Special Act (AFSPA) has provided that the army on mere suspicion a) can shoot to kill any person b) destroy any property c) arrest any person without warrant and interrogate him without limit of the number of days d) can enter and search any house without warrant.
But the BEST and the most INTERESTING part is that no legal proceedings i.e court case can be brought against any member of the Armed Forces for any of the above mentioned acts. And remember this can all be done on "MERE SUSPICION" alone.
Doesn't this amount to the grossest abuse of our Human Rights? Aren't we being treated as second-class citizens in our own land? Aren't we being treated as sub-humans and looked down as cattle? Are we inferior to the Mainland Indians in any way? Isn't this the greatest infringement on our Right to Freedom as nobly written down in the Indian Constitution? Is this what India - the land of Mahatma Gandhi call Democracy and Equality and Fraternity? Is this what the Indian Constitution calls "Unity in Diversity"? Are these Draconian passed in any other Indian states other than the North-Eastern states even if they have greater and worse militancy and law and order problems than us? Aren't we being treated as "FOREIGNERS" in our own land?
They see no wrong in implementing Draconian Laws and Acts and righteously claim it is the only way to calm down the violent and sub- standard humans that inhabit this part of the world. They see us, as the Europeans, decades back saw the rest of the world through their racially twisted tinted glass, the so called "White Man's Burden". They justify themselves with rhetoric and well thought out datas which may Blind the world to what’s really going on but its an eye - opener to us and reveal their double-standard , discriminatory and step- motherly attitude. The Indian Govt. love to shout hoarse about the freedom of people to the world decide their fate e.g, they vouch for the right of the Palestinians to a separate state of their own but back home its an altogether different story the classic case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
H. Kavi Assumi Naga
Salesian College, Dimapur
