Martha John
I happened to go to Kolkata for a social function. I met one of my friends who is doing a business of garments there. We were talking about his projects and I was quite impressed with his ambitious projects. I asked him “why don’t you open an outlet in Dimapur. After all it is a commercial hub of Nagaland”. He replied Oh No, No ways. I will start my new outlet in any damn place in India but not in Northeast. I am scared to do business there. I will be kidnapped if I don’t pay taxes. I do not want to take risk.
I was shocked to see the reactions of outsiders about my land. I heard some outsider friends of mine saying that I would prefer to stay outside in a place where I can freely move around without tension. I am fed up of this insurgency and presence of security forces which constantly denotes area is not peaceful.
Similar thing happened in Bangalore when an exhibition-cum-sale of art and handicraft works was organised by North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited from July 15 to Aug 02.
I happened to know some friends who had gone there. Beautiful indigenous handloom and handicrafts and highly artistic indigenous hand works of the region was highly appreciated by the visitors in Bangalore. The artisans interacted with visitors and “enlightened and demystified” various aspects about the northeastern region of the country to the people in Bangalore. The artisans told people about the real northeast, a great culture, tradition, land and people. Through art works the rest of India, was told not to think of the northeast as a land of violence and terrorists only. A lot of misconceptions prevail across India about the northeast. This is an exclusive example where, We the people have reached out and showed a correct image of “OUR LAND OUR PEOPLE”.
I happened to read a news that Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is not interested in coming to Dimapur for maintenance of National Heritage Kachari Rajbari due to threat and demand of UG groups and due to the fear of the unknown forces in Dimapur. Lots of funds have already been sanctioned for preservation of the monument but ASI is not taking any action which is definitely a loss to the state.
In another news the goods transporters of Dimapur remained closed for a day on 21 July to protest against abduction of one of the trucker. The business of extortion and illegal taxes is still on. The transporters are harassed daily by unidentified people in the form of tax collections. There are large number of agencies which are surviving and earning their bread through illegal taxes.
The common man in Nagaland wants peace and prosperity of the region. The restive state of Nagaland after the ceasefire in 1997 saw flourishing markets, booming business, growing purchasing power of the people and most importantly the fearless movement indicative of the huge leap forward made by the state since the truce.
For the people who have been at the receiving end of insurgency for decades such peaceful atmosphere was worth more than anything else. Peace itself is a biggest motivator for the local populace to invest. If you move around Dimapur the commercial capital of the region, the real estate prices have rocketed. More showrooms have come up, more people are traveling for business purposes and people are exploring new potential. There have been small industrial units that people are trying to bring up. So you have stable peace in the region, we would have industrial growth as well.
The last eight years post ceasefire saw markets growing and well-known brands venturing into markets in state capital Kohima and business hub Dimapur. Communication facility in the state has become better with private players like Airtel and Aircel entering the market posing competition to the state owned BSNL. With prospects of growth very much on the horizon the citizens also want a lasting peace. Peace is necessary for any kind of development to take place. Progress cannot take place without peace and you see over the past few decades in the last few years in the past generations of the Naga youth they have not got the opportunity, they have not been given the scope to excel and to reach out with the same facilities, same infrastructure as their counterparts in the rest of the country. So peace is needed and without peace no development or progress can take place.
Education is another sector that is also in for change. With the opening up of new colleges and IT institutions the educational scenario too is changing rapidly. With India’s Look East policy bringing the country closer to the ASEAN nations, efforts are being made by the state government to train the youth in languages and other skills to take advantages of the emerging opportunities.
The development funds that we are getting from the government of India would be of no use if there is no peace. People will be in a state of fear. Our state should have good roads everywhere. Good roads and communication is the prime factor for prosperity. Dimapur Airport should develop. The project of Four lane road from Dimapur to Kohima and an an Airport in Kohima is already approved.
The central government and the NSCN (IM) leadership too seem to be optimistic towards the peace process. So far many rounds of the talks have been held. There may not have been any concrete political result to this vexed issue, but one tangible and visible result is “PEACE” in the state.
We the people of Nagaland want peace now. We demand an end to terror, incitement and hatred. We all must acknowledge the fact that there is constant suffering which most of us have experienced because of the history, the wars, the terror and the hatred. A suffering which has always been part of our lives in our land. The past decades have been difficult for all of us. The hardships have not been alleviated, the terror organizations have not weakened, the enemies of peace have not disappeared, and we are still anxiously awaiting the return of our missing and captive sons who are held by terror organizations. I believe that there is no path other than peace. Willingness from all is required to assist in the historic process of peace and reconciliation.
I only want to ask Jesus “When the dark clouds of sufferings will go away from our beautiful motherland. We want peace in our home and in our state. Oh Jesus do something for people who are fed up of taxes, extortion. We want that our children should get good quality education in good schools, we want good universities to open up in our land, why our youth should travel miles to study? Business should flourish in our land. Money should flow in from trade, tourism, and all fair means and channels.”
This can occur only when there is peace. All this progress and development is not far away if we all are united and show maturity, care and concern for each other.
In the beautiful land of Nagaland “PEACE” is just few steps away.
(The writer is a free lancer and social worker based in North East. She can be contacted on: marthajohn27@gmail.com)
