Some of those who voted YES had this to say:
- Yes, small minds create more rift and divisions. The sad part is that these small minds are being glorified.
- Ignorance is bliss. Our fight for justice is being sidelined by tribalism. We want development, we want our roads to get better, but our minds are still so narrow. Unless our mindset is overhauled how can we expect things to get better.
- Yes the Naga cause for identity and rights is being sidelined by tribal politics. The 16 point agreement is the one responsible for dividing the Naga cause.
- People are now fade-up of so called underground who are the root cause of tribalism. Naga society had reached saturated point and there is no magic wane to change it be it politicians or any other accept by divine intervention.
- Naga politics has always been at village level, one man/women one vote does not enter in the head of the people. MLA come buy a pig and give few bottles of rum for the votes. If you have not earned the right to something you have no value over it. Voting has never been a part of Naga culture but a forced one which nagas at large do not understand the great value the vote has if used in the right way. Nagas are me my and I tribe. Giving perls to pigs, pigs will trample over it as they do not know the value.
- Yes, today Nagaland is reeking with tribalism. Unfortunately it is the so-called advanced tribes that are leading the way.
- Yes, Nagas are one but now some groups and individuals are bringing narrow tribal politics to create confusion and division.
- Yes, has it not always been that way ever since a semblance of recognition of our political identity came into existence? Even Phizo couldn't dissuade his fellow beings. Our formal history is marred by tribal politics, and it looks like it will always be so, despite there being some sort of resistance and effort against it. However, and unfortunately, Nagas are still not ready to do away with this. Until then, we cannot progress but rot further.
- Government of India is using some veteran politicians to sow seeds of division among the Nagas. They did not fully succeed through factions because of FNR, but now they are trying to divide through tribes using tribal organisations.
- Yes, it is very saddening to see some of organizations who are hell bent on using tribal politics to gain power only for their own selfish interests.
- The quest for 'Naga Political justice and identity' suffers on at least two counts. Firstly it is sidelined by tribal politics. Secondly, the very process for the struggle towards justice and identity finds derailed because the concept of 'justice' and 'identity' is still underscored and therefore finds misplaced. Tribal politics no doubt impinges on the larger discourse on Naga political justice and identity. It has caused so much of disruption and disunity among the Nagas. For now, it is in dire need of truth to unshackle the trust deficit.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
- The problem is not tribalism. The problem is getting complicated because the age group between 20-45 years seem to be like a confused generation which is neither here or there. Most of the people in this age group do not know about their own Naga history, and they also dont care about the future of their generation. They are only concerned about their own and that is why so much confusion is coming out these days. What do you expect when confused people are leading, there will only be more confusion. Let us not mix tribalism and a confused generation.
- No, it is not tribal politics. It is actually money and money politics in the guise of tribal politics.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
- We Nagas need to think more like a NATION and less like a TRIBE. This is the answer.
- Naga political issue will always remain at the forefront unless our fight for justice and identity is fulfilled. No struggle is easy and no one will give you freedom. You have to fight for it. There will always be people within the naga society who will do everything to divide our cause. They will use money, they will use tribalism and they will use sectarianism to create differences in our society. We should not follow blindly like a fool. We should be as wise as a serpent.
- Tribal politics is not the root cause. There are other deeper causes. Tribal politics is only for mobilization of people, resources and opinion. Nothing more because tribal politics is short-sighted. It is being used as a strategy but with negative consequences.
- Naga issue is about all Nagas, but politicians and vested interest are using the tribal card to sow division. When will Naga public stop listening to them.
