Like most people who enjoy the luxury of having their daily newspapers home delivered in the mornings, to read the local dailies is the first order of service for the day -something which I also look forward to and do daily. And like many readers the first thing I do is quickly browse the front page and flip to the editorial and feedback page wherein lies the more ‘juicy’ news. The mix of opinions and letters always make for an interesting read. Of late there has been a number of (if I may) ‘to and fro’ write ups of response and counter responses in the local dailies pertaining to the underlying theme of ‘freedom of expression’ (at least in the Naga context) which some have, maybe too generously, attributed to Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo for his bold, unforgiving and unsparing views on a variety of topics. Some topics, perhaps maybe too uncomfortable and perilous for the average citizen to bring up or talk upon but are always on the back of our minds. It is nice to see that such exercises of personal expression has caught speed and have transcended to the digital and the internet realm. Many of the newer generation have taken to the internet to link up and express their opinions through blogs and chat forums. The write ups of Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo has generated a lot of buzz recently and it is evident from the rejoinders and comments both in the papers and on the net, one can surmise that he has a fair share of supporters and admirers as well as a good number of opponents as well. I, for one, am an admirer of his articles not because of their vivid provocative nature, not because he is right or wrong (that is a matter of personal opinion of the reader), not out of duty or loyalty solely because he is my father but because he writes with the conviction of truth he believes in and being unafraid while courting danger in saying so. To agree or disagree with his ideas is another matter.
The members of the Holy Land Tour Team of the Naga Council wrote a very strong and angry worded article ( Nagaland Post, Aug 31, 2012) flaying the opinion expressed by my father which seemed totally undeserving of the language and tone used. As I read the article it dawned on me why there is still a long way to go still for us Nagas to reach an ideal peaceful society of world class standards- a good part of it being intolerance. You cannot scold a bully who is bigger than you least you get roughed up yourself, but you certainly can rough up someone weaker than you just to show that you can, at the same time hoping to impress those around you. That is what I felt reading their write up. The writer made a note about MMA fights and having seen a number of downloaded MMA fights I can safely say that the more brutal fights are the more interesting ones, and I am sure that the writers must have been feeling such a state of mind, judging by the tone of their write up it was akin to beating your opponent to a pulp. I wonder why they were so livid. Perhaps they regard my father’s writings to be blasphemous or something. News and views spread fast in the net age Nagaland today as I soon realized when my wife showed me a comment by a reader of the article on The Naga Blog which says “boaaa, holy land tour and came back with unholy words. Nice tour” (there are too many to quote but many equally humorous but with a hint of truth and resentment) the whole article in the paper is an interesting but hurtful read. Not that I agree or disagree with it - that is beside the point. It is interesting because the writers have obviously taken the trouble to do some research on the history of my father and his accolades (If I may say so) which makes me wonder “Why”? Why take such trouble to know and learn about a man and then try to totally berate and humiliate him? While at the same time say “…on the contrary, we pray for more persons like Thepfulhouvi to rise and become agent provocateurs and wake us up from our negatively entrenched social, religious and political dogmatic positions” (DUH?!!! He has been trying to do that, hasn’t he? And look what it has got him!!!) And they pray for it?!!! What for? So that such persons can be publicly berated for expressing their views? WOW! I’m sure that’s one prayer point they need not be bothering themselves with when they pray if such is to be the outcome. To me it seemed like a very calculated personal attack on the character of my father. Is a person worth praising only when he/she supports your agenda but deserves a very public reprimand when he/she highlights the more unpopular but sometimes necessary issues? Of course we understand the concept of armchair activists but one must also realize that our personal roles in society vary from person to person. There are doers and thinkers. And one cannot fully function without the other. A healthy society cannot exist without both. Each is complementary to the other. The writers do not support the views of my father but it’s not like he has done some irreparable and catastrophic damage to the wellbeing of Naga society as to deserve such a response. In fact is it a response or an all out attack on the character of my father? On the contrary there are many much more pressings issues detrimental to the Naga society but have never got such a strongly worded opposition. Probably because there is the specter of fear looming overhead. I say their ire would be better utilized by directing it at known social ailments rather than attack a free, aged individual expressing his opinion. However hard it may be to digest- his views are his own. It is not like he has started a movement or party to deliberately influence the educated people of Nagaland. Believe me, Nagas are now educated and learned enough to decide what is right or wrong. Like he said let the public be the judge. I get the impression that such writers would rather prefer that right thinking people (in this case Mr Thepfulhouvi ) to just shut up and let the existing situation run its course even if the course may be a murky one. Maybe somewhere down the line someday the truth may become so murky that there may be a need to have someone who knows and speaks the truth but alas there is none to be found. Since it seems that those in positions of influence would only be pleased to hear what is pleasing to their ears and nothing else.
It is a hurtful read because a just and honest man, my father, had to read such a harshly and sarcastic worded article addressed to him. Their views no doubt will sound like the sweetest music to certain sections or groups of people. To publicly banter and to exchange ideas and thoughts verbally or in print is acceptable in a free democratic society but to go to such a level of personal attack as to call a person “...self righteous man can display such hypocrisy…”and so on, without fully verifying the facts, that too by a reputed civil organization hardly give credit to their maturity. Rather it highlights their immaturity. The whole article sounds like a bully out to defame, discredit and humiliate an individual. Whether their views are personal or instigated, it is a shame that with all their proficiency and fluency in English and keeping in view all the efforts they put in towards the betterment of society they had to single out an individual for public defamation and thus in the process display their mental stand.
Thousands of educated youths live in Nagaland today, all of whom will in time fulfill their roles as productive, progressive members of society and hopefully put their education to good use. And like them I too have a hope in my heart that tomorrow will be better than today. Hope is all we have! Or else what’s there to like about today? We often hear the saying ‘youths of today are the leaders of tomorrow’ but alas what a fine lot of leaders there are for us to have as examples – on one hand we have those who are indifferent to the plights of the people caring not whether there is a traffic jam or not they will have their way through or declaring our land to be a peaceful state even as people get murdered in hotels and public places. Power outages? Clueless!!. And on the other there are those who are surrounded by an aura of danger, intolerant, quick to anger with a mental attitude of “ I AM, I KNOW and I DO, so SHUT UP”. Thank heavens times are changing and might is right is slowly changing to right is might. (And Dear Bigshot Sirs! We travel on the same potholed roads as you, and we all feel the bumps, you would too, it’s just that the suspension and seats of your luxury SUVs are way better than ours that you are spared the bumps and jolts we experience, please do something! Anything! Just don’t make it a routine and make a hurried dash to pave the roads only when Hornbill Festival looms round the corner. Or the recent paddy sowing and fishing demonstration may very well become a reality.) “the world is a dangerous place to live : not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it” Albert Einstein.
Tsizelhou ‘Dardu’ Solo
