The recent incidents that had taken place in Nagaland uniquely gave birth to the Joint Co-ordination Committee (JCC) and Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC); this shook the entire State as tsunami did in Southern hemisphere. JCC in their acknowledgement column stated in Nagaland Post P.9., dated 26th February, “The people of Nagaland had firmly stood united in protecting our rights, upholding the values and aspirations of the Naga people which has gone into the history through this People Movement.” Truly Nagaland has been anxiously longing for such kind of “People Movement” however who will be free from Politics, free from Corruption and free from any kind of Bribery. People in Nagaland should have had initiated for a People Movement like JCC long ago by following the model of South Korea, where people movement had set their focus on clean election and removal of the rampant corruptions. “People Movement” that Nagaland look for should commit toward the welfare of the merging younger generation.
ABAM Social concern group stated in Nagaland Post P.8., dated 27th February, “The long practices of malpractice and unfair means during election which destroyed even spiritual standard of the Christians for decades. ABAM has also decided to publish and distribute a booklet on Clean Election and also provide pledge cards for interested individuals.” Their concern is to set a “People Movement” for a Christ centered purpose. Every tribe should come forward like Ao Tribe and together carry the voice of the people of Nagaland in order to bring a significant transformation in our Christian land. If we want a better Nagaland and prosperous future generation, then every citizen of Nagaland should whole heartedly come forward and form a “New People Movement” alike JCC. By doing this, we can wipe away the tears of the people of Nagaland. Let us all pray to the Almighty God that He may give us a “New God centered People Movement” to revive Nagaland in every way possible.
Now let us see how Korean People Movement brought transformation in their Country. As we trace back the background of South Korea, she was colonized by Japan from 1910-1945. Soon after her liberation from the Japanese rule, “the Korean war” broke out between North Korea and South Korea from 1950-1953 that badly damaged the country economically and hence, South Korea was declared as one of the poorest countries in the world till 1970. Till then, the South Koreans lived in poverty and in economic crises. South Korea started to develop only after 1970 and the reality behind this tremendous development was because of two reasons:
1. The Church in South Korea, especially the dedicated elderly women spent the whole night in prayer fervently in 1953. This genuine prayer gave birth to transformation and brought the developments in the Korean peninsula. 2. Young men and women arose, fully determined to work hard tirelessly to develop their Country and because of this, now the South Korea became one of the most developed and richest Countries in the whole world.
It is very true that prayers pave the way for development and transformation in the society. The Koreans focused on, “help from God” and God gave them development and revived their land. As the Country developed and prospered through prayers, they broadened their mindset and focused on the overall transformations including the General Election to elect the right leaders. Till 1980, the South Korea Election was similar to that of the Nagaland General Election where corruption was so much prevalent. But in 1986, the College Youths, Church leaders and social leaders joined together to reform the system of Election from corruption filled to fair, transparent and corruption free. They began to realize that if they receive Black money from their candidate then their country’s Economy and the Democracy will collapse and there will be no developments. With this firm conviction, they formed the People Movement and eventually all the people supported the Movement. Later on, the Politicians also agreed with the stand of the People movement.
The Reformation took place in the year 2002 where the Government of South Korea passed the Resolution in the Parliament and made a Rule “We will make our Election clean.”The Government of South Korea ordered that: 1. If any person report to the Government about the corruption, he/she will be awarded Rs. 20,00000/- (twenty lacs). The guilty person will pay the same amount of what he had received from the candidate fifty times as penalty (that means if a public receive Rs. 1000/- from the Candidate than he must pay to Government Rs. 1000/- fifty times i.e; Rs. 50,000/-) heavy penalty. But the Candidate who has given Money to the public will be summoned by the Court and immediately be debarred from contesting and will be imprisoned.
2. If the Candidate open the Election Mess or even offer a plate of Rice or a cup of Tea to the Public for the motive of Election wave, then a Public who ate the food or take the tea at the mercy of his Candidate, the accused will pay fifty times of what he has taken from the Candidate and also the Candidate will immediately be debarred from contesting and will be imprisoned.
Hence, during the Election the Candidate cannot buy any person because the punishment is very high and the Korean people elect the right candidate by using their rightful franchise in order to rule over them and for their Country’s development. There is no corruption in the Korean Government and the Government’s Money is utilized faithfully only for the Development of the Country. This People Movement eradicated the corruption and today the Korean enjoys the developments and prosperity in their Country.
Let this atmosphere prevail in the Land of Nagaland, where the people of Nagaland would use their franchise to elect their right Candidate for the development and prosperity of Nagaland a beautiful Land filled with beautiful people. The Korean economy was collapsed because of the Wars but Nagaland economy is collapsed because of the Corrupted Leaders.
The Korean Church has given birth to the Country of fair Election through which the development and prosperity follows and this was the result of the prayers. As a senior Citizen of Nagaland, I appeal to all the Nagaland Christians to have Faith like the Koreans and pray fervently for the transformation of Nagaland prevailing situation. The College Students, Church Leaders, Young peoples who are zealous for a better Nagaland, energetic for a change and burdened for our dear land Nagaland must come together and form the “People Movement” then sooner we will see our Nagaland transformed and the Development will take place everywhere and Nagaland become the beautiful State like South Korea which we will truly see “New beautiful Nagaland” with our own eyes. IMPOSSIBLE? BIG NO! POSSIBLE IN CHRIST.
Rev. Dr. Vikheshe Chishi Founder & Principal Withee Bible College, Dimapur
