Role of young legislators in state building
Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 27
A plenary session on “Role of young legislators in state building” as part of Nagaland Youth Summit 2016 was held here today under the aegis of YouthNet in association with the State government.
The session had three legislators and The Morung Express Editor, Dr. Aküm Longchari as panelists and Amba Jamir, Policy Analyst and Executive Director of Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland as the chairperson.
Merentoshi Jamir, Advisor to Chief Minister, stressed on the need of young leaders to be part of the governance, stating young minds and ideas are required. He said out of the 60 members in the NLA, young legislators below the age of 40 years constitute 10%. Further, pointing out that at present, Nagaland has 40% youth population, Merentoshi felt that 40% young leaders need to represent NLA to bring a change. He also called upon the youth to adopt positive thinking and erase negativity.
Parliamentary Secretary for Planning & Coordination, Evaluation & Monitoring Cell and Taxes Neiba Kronu stressed on the need to revamp and change the present system of governance. Admitting that many systems have gone wrong, he said there are many unresolved issues pending with the government. He encouraged the youth to be part of Nagaland Investment Board to attract other investors to Nagaland, which will in turn give job opportunities to many.
Parliamentary Secretary for Labour & Employment, Skills Development & Entrepreneurship and Border Affairs Mmhonlumo Kikon emphasized on the need to collectively address the issues confronting the State, and then the issues before the State will be addressed. He also challenged the youth to change their mindset from government service to private sector, assuring that the government is trying its best to facilitate them. He wanted to see that YouthNet takes forward this Summit to every district and sub-division.
The Morung Express Editor, Dr. Aküm Longchari wanted to see young legislators to “be honest and truthful and serve with humility, dignity and respect.” He also stressed on the need to conduct free, fair and clean election campaigns that are issue based, and end the culture of taking commissions. “This is at the heart of transparent governance and accountable leadership,” he said. “The growing culture of elitism and the destructive gap between the haves and haves-not must be confronted and resolved. This is both a political and a moral responsibility.”
He pointed out that governance in Nagaland often implies to manage and contain the situation. This, Dr. Longchari said, is not governance. “What we need is Good Governance, Self-Governance and Inclusive Governance that starts from the bottom up and is politically representative and inclusive of the most marginalized sections of society.” He also stressed on the need to focus on quality value-based education – both formal and informal – and take the lead in transforming the education model from the “banking concept to a liberating concept.” “The dialogue of the deaf needs to be replaced by a dialogue of active listening and respect,” he felt.
He also opined that young legislators should change the norm. Rather than post-policy participation, include people in the pre-policy phase of policy making so that the common good is represented and people take ownership of it, he exhorted. Ownership also implies that the structures for policy implementation need to be contextual, pragmatic, value based and culturally relevant, he added.
Dr. Longchari also felt the need to exercise shared responsibility by repealing the Disturbed Areas Act – which in effect means the AFSPA – and other anti-democratic legislation. Focus on democratization of Naga society, which means democracy goes hand in hand with liberty and freedom, and yes, peaceful dissent, he urged.
“Today we need leaders that do not confine themselves to the experiences and feelings of the people. This may lead to temporary popularity but it comes at the price of condemnation by posterity, whose claims you are neglecting. Neither do we need leaders who get too far ahead of society and run the risk of being irrelevant. Today, we need leaders with vision who identify with the people and are able to bridge the gap between vision and the existential reality,” he said.
He also stated that Naga society needs legislators that are involved not because they have commitments, but have commitments because they are involved. “…So we need legislators that are willing to think and act out of the system, and are persuaded to change, in order to change the status quo,” he added.
He also stressed on the need to cultivate a culture of a Just Peace, explore and create alternative models of governance in which the people are no longer objects of history, but makers of their own destiny. It begins by confronting the culture of impunity and dismantling the structures of violence, according to Dr. Longchari.
Theja Meru gets Trailblazer Award
Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 27
Theja Meru has been conferred with the YouthNet’s Trailblazer Award during Nagaland Youth Summit. The award, which carries citation and cash award of Rs. 1 lakh, was given away by Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang here today.
Theja Meru is a musician and an entrepreneur by profession. He was part of a band called Blood and Fire, a Chennai based band in 90’s. Today, he is the president of Rattle & Hum Music Society, which aims to network musicians at national and international level and organizes the famed Handshake Concert annually.
Meru is the chairman of Dream Core, a conglomeration of several enterprises. He heads business establishments such as Dream Café, a popular and famous hang out place for the youth of Kohima and also director of The Heritage, a bungalow built by the British around 1947.
