Limalenden Longkumer
Ungma | July 31
Nagas have no leaders, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said today while celebrating the pre-harvest festival of the Ao Nagas, Tsüngremong. He rued that there is no Naga leader. “There are faction leaders, there are tribal leaders, and there are party leaders. But there is no Naga leader,” he said, and continued with the advice, “don’t think individually, think collectively.”
Rio also emphasized on the importance of perserving and promoting indigenous culture and traditions and expressed joy in seeing the young and old of Ungma village wearing a festive mood on their faces, coming out to celebrate the festival in traditional attires. Saying that culture should not be discarded in the name of Christianity, Rio explained that Nagas must preserve the legacy of their forefathers, the Naga identity, which could be lost with the loss of culture. He added that the government is giving patronage to the preservation and promotion of culture.
On work culture, Rio however said that Nagas like to ‘expect a bountiful harvest without cultivating their fields.’ He encouraged the people, particularly the youth, to work hard and ‘eat by the sweat of your brow.’ On the topic of the clichéd “political issue” Rio stated that a vast majority of “national workers” are misusing the Naga issue and “ignoring the main thing while fighting for side issues.” He said the “plebiscite” of 1951 was not the mandate given by the people to disintegrate into factions and levy ‘unaccounted taxes.’ Delhi recognizes the Naga case as a political issue that needs to be resolved, but it is the Nagas who fail to recognize this, he rued.
He suggested that if the “Naga political issue” is resolved, Nagaland will be get “promotion” and as a result of which there will be political, economic, social as well as cultural benefits. For this, Nagas need leaders with vision to “vision the possibilities,” he said. “Grasp what is possible or fight over what is impossible,” Rio concluded, leaving for the people to decide for themselves. He also emphasized on integration of all Nagas living in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar, “emotionally, even if not physically.”
