In support to the FNR work on reconciling the man-made-distancing Naga brethren
Firstly, a firm thumps-up to the Forum of Naga Reconciliation (FNR) committee for their sacrificial effort in mending our broken familial relationship. Now we feel safe and secure in this desired HOME of the NAGAS. Thank you so very much and we salute you the leaders of various Naga freedom fighters for your wise decision and commitment to journey together as one for a common cause. It has indeed promise us a brighter tomorrow.
Allow me to write a few thoughts on our familial relationship and its implication to our dream-to-be Nagalim.
The Webster dictionary defines memory as “a particular act of recall or recollection; an image or expression of one that is remembered as in fond memories of his or her youth.” It is the recollection of these fond memories that do not make a person grow yonder with the experience and connection he or she once had. Perhaps, memory is foundational in keeping a person connected to his or her familial linage and culture of his or her people. Hence, the act of remembering is sine quo non to one’s identity as a person, as a brother, and as a citizen of a nation.
Sadly, Nagas has for too long misguided by the perception of “rigid difference.” By rigid difference I mean the distance that we create which results in pushing us too far apart instead of living harmoniously with the ‘colors of difference’. With this rigid difference, consciously or unconsciously, we find ways to look for our own interest and seek on our own ideologies, forgetting our familial bond. As a result, tribalism, nepotism, grudges, stereotypes, authoritarian, killings, and all kinds of socio-political imbalance delved in in our family life (I do not need to mention all those evil happenings in the society because everyone knows and has witnessed it). Life becomes rigid to humble, submit and create space for one’s own brethren. Thus we create our own man-made-distancing family life.
Life in the family would have been better if the recollection and renewal of the memory of brotherhood have not been delayed, was the wish of my uncle just after the top level meeting of the factional groups in Dimapur. Indeed, the memory of belongingness as a family and as a nation has taken us to seek the welfare of a family as a whole rather than the older brother or the younger brother. It is the consciousness of this family bond that has kept us thus far without damaging us further. And this memory of belongingness has to be the dividend of our future unity and protection from being excluding the beloved brethren.
The writer strongly believes that it is the recollection and renewal of this memory that urge us to come to a common platform and solve our differences. We (Nagas) belong to the same family, and so our former leaders started with the same vision for the welfare of the family. No one is greater or smaller in a family relationship. Everyone has a share in it and all exist on mutual basis. Without embracing and involving all the members of the family, the family is still incomplete. Having this sense of belongingness and inclusiveness, a family can look beyond the troubles and differences in the family rather than bearing the pain and solving the troubles and differences of a broken family.
A perfect example has been narrated in the scripture in Luke 15:11-32 on the parable of the prodigal son. When the prodigal son returned from the distant land, the father opens his arm to embrace the estranged son because he knows his lost son is returning. The father has never lost the memory of his departed son, and so this memory has kept the departed son in his heart where they once belonged. When the lost son returns, the father has no hesitation but asked his servants to throw a party of celebration. Forgiveness was not a big deal, though it is not that cheap, where they do not need a third party or go to a court because it is a family issue where the father, the older brother, and the younger brother are the only one involved. It is the recollection and renewing the memory of being in a family that has made the issue easier and simpler. The family has now become complete and they can look beyond the ‘waiting for the lost to come’ pain. On the other hand, the older brother has forgotten the memory of belongingness with his younger brother. Since he has not kept the younger brother in the memory of his heart, he was shock and angry when he heard his disobedient younger brother returns home. His only brother has now become a stranger and was excluded from that belongingness. He finds so hard to embrace his only brother. Their differences have now become wider in the eye of the older brother. He consider himself as one who is righteous and always obeys his father’s will whereas the younger brother is considered to be disobedient, departed, lost and son-no-more. So in his conclusion, the older brother thought he can never live happily again with his younger brother. He has created his own man-made-distancing brother in the family.
Well, it might be the same story with us or may not; we cannot deny that we have created our own man-made-distancing brotherhood. Whatever the reason may be, we still belong to a same family. Some may be smarter, more educated, richer or whatsoever while others may be less privilege, we are still brothers and sisters of NAGA FAMILY. For sure, our colors of differences will be there (it beautifies a family or nation) but that is neither the prima facie nor the backbone of a family or a nation. The final say is the bond of relationship and the sense of belongingness in a given family or nation. Such is the underlying secret answer to almost all the triumphant nation in the history of mankind.
Hence, this is a fervent appeal to all fellow Naga brethren to renew our memory of belongingness in brotherhood. This does not apply only to freedom fighters (so-called underground groups) but to all the civil bodies and bureaucrats (so-called overground groups). How can there be total reconciliation in restoring the broken family if the civil bodies (e.g. Naga Hoho and ENPO or NSF and ENSF) and various factional groups cannot come together in their own respective bodies? Even if we mend one problem, the other will still be our problem. It is high time to consider our oneness and family bond if we really want to restore the broken family, though broken it is still a family as the prodigal father sees his elder son and younger son. We cannot and must not go for a third party or go to a court to settle our family dispute. It is in our own hands. Let us join together and work for our common welfare while God is in our favor.
Lastly, let me say again “THANK YOU” to our leaders for taking a bold step in reconsidering our belongingness. We strongly believe that your decision and promise made for our common welfare will give us a better worldview of how human relations should be. And in this historic commitment of our leaders, we are blessedly assured that Nagas will never again be a distance brother or sister to one another but a family where we encourage, support and nurture each other for a better living.
God Bless the Nagas.
Mhaphuvi Naleo, Kohima
