The incident that happened on Tuesday February 4, 2014 started because Pastor Zasheve Vese of Diezephe Baptist Church took precaution on strangers trespassing and loitering inside his private property at Middle colony, Purana Bazaar East Dimapur. Pastor Zasheve Vese is a respectable man and a dedicated servant of God in Chakhesang community. On that unfortunate day, the trespassers let alone inside the compound, climbed the house and found themselves on the rooftop. Perhaps, everyone would be alarmed when strangers are found on your roof. When asked to come down they did hesitantly and arrogantly and while they were leaving the property, the pastor cautioned them not to ever repeat such trespassing inside the property again. Beyond words of caution there was no exchange of words or altercation and the boy was let go.
But very unexpectedly after a short while, the boys came with the whole family including the mother. The father who along with his three sons started to shout and beat the pastor without ascertaining the fact. Not having satisfied by insulting and beating the pastor they even laid hands on his sister-in-law. The action of the mother on that day was one of shock and disbelief. She stood shouting trying to influence and attract people into joining the family in abusing the pastor and his sister-in-law.
Thanks to the elders in the neighbourhood area who came at the rescue of the pastor.
A reflection:
1. The victim happened to be a Pastor who obviously will not retaliate. When this is the case, should the culprits dominate and exploit? Even a pastor is not spared.
2. What more dignity does a person have when strangers can just walk inside your house and bash you up? Is this our culture? No, never!
3. What respect do we have for others and their property when we can just enter inside someone’s compound as if it were our own garden and do whatever we want? Where has respect for others gone?
4. In Naga culture it is illegal to enter people’s house forcefully and beat or thrash others. What safety and security do we have when strangers can just walk into our kitchen and do to us whatever they want? Where has Naga decency and respect for others gone?
5. Against our culture, the perpetrators slapped, a mother of four children.
A Review:
What lessons can we learn from all these?
1. In a civilized society can such incident be justified where without reasoning, mobs are easily instigated to rule? Can’t we be more sane to ask simple questions like why? What? before we take any action or before we commit any crime?
2. What is wrong with the most sacred institution like FAMILY?
- In this case, who was responsible for communicating the actual encounter in the first place? Who misinterpreted the whole scene/story?
- Can parents defend our juveniles instead of correcting and rebuking them or should we retaliate for their wrong doing instead of apologizing to the person concerned?
- In this context, who was the leader throughout the whole ordeal? Aren’t fathers the priest of the family?
3. What about our churches and society or community today? Do we care about our unchurched members? Do we reach out to them enough? Who is responsible to go and bring them to the saving knowledge of our Loving Lord and help them to repent and receive grace?
We hope that this incident will not only be talked and argued in anger and in frustration but that our Naga community will begin to work on building a better society where respect for each other will become the rule of the society. May our institutions, be it family, school and church teach love and respect so that tomorrow we will see less of what we see and experience today and more of respect and unity amongst the Nagas.
Nuvocho
Chairman,
Western Area Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (WACBCC)
Dimapur: Nagaland.
