Men are born free. Every human being has the right to express his or her thought into action. Nagas are precisely doing that by democratically resisting the Meiteis’ act of cultural aggression.
Meiteis/Manipuris have discarded the Bengali script, which they have been using for centuries. Also, now they have already boycotted using Hindi and anything to do with it like Indian movies in their motherland called Kangleipak or Manipur. Why? Because they think that foreign cultures and scripts are unhealthy for the Meitei society and that they are against the integrity of their valley homeland. We respect the Meiteis for taking such steps.
Now the question here is: Do the Meiteis think that the Nagas will bend to their Meitei Mayek (script) and history which are nothing but lies? Don’t the Meiteis think that they are provoking the Nagas by trying to impose their Meitei culture and script whose invention work still remains far from completion? In the first place there is no reason for the Meiteis to be overlording the Nagas. And, more importantly, Naga people have their own culture and history, which they all wish to appreciate and learn.
There is a strong suspicion in the minds of many people that the Hindu government in Delhi has always favored the Hindu Meiteis against the Nagas for the simple reason that we are Christians. One good example is the inaction of Delhi over the matter of Meiteis’ outrageous attempt to impose their false history and script on the Nagas. India must know that, unless the unrestrained exploitation of the Meiteis on the Naga populace is put to an end, there will be no true peace in the whole region.
The Khaplang group, slavishly acting on behalf of the selfish Meiteis, is committing an appalling crime by threatening to murder Naga NGOs for challenging the morality and legality of imposing distorted culture of the Meiteis on the Nagas. Also, this group is against the necessity of bringing together all the Nagas under one administration. Naga people want to know the motivation, which is propelling the Khaplang group in its calamitous journey towards self-destruction and death to many.
Nagas love freedom. One mighty power after the other had tried in vain to subdue this wonderful spirit of the great Naga Nation. We will go to any extent if our culture and history are challenged. Those who are endeavoring to undermine Nagalim must remember the true feelings of the Nagas which has been lucidly reflected by an American, Carl Schurz: ¡°If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other. Naga People’s Friends Network Korea fully supports the affiliation of southern Nagalim schools to the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education, because this is the right thing to do.
KUKNALIM
Gloria Kim, President
Mughali Achumi, General Secretary
Naga People’s Friends Network Korea
