Contextual background
The ‘menace of extortion’ which the dictionary defines as illegal exaction of money without works in the name of independent movement by various factions of the underground is becoming a hard reality which has paralyzed the State. Now, the public has come to the street after it has crossed the degree of their long tolerance. Unless it is checked once for all it will engulf the whole spectrum of the Nagas by spreading like a wild fire!
Every right thinking and sensible citizen are talking about it in various public forums. Local daily newspapers are full of the evil story of the drama of extortion. The public is saying, “Enough is enough” like the meeting of the rats in Naga folk tale. But unfortunately, no one has come up with a possible solution. It I must however be kept in mind that as in Mathematics, the problem is always followed with a solution as the Americans believe and try to solve all their problems and the problems of the world. The maxim goes, “United we stand” to eradicate extortion. But the saying also goes, “Divided we fall” which will happen to check extortion- the most crucial social evil in the State.
After long years of deliberation, to salvage the helpless and hopeless condition of the Naga bondage from Egypt, I conducted research case studies on the representatives of the Business community and the Government servants on whom the Nagas solely depend for their survival in the absence of industries. Out of my research, it has been confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt that public could no longer bear the burden of illegal taxation by various factions of the underground in the name of independence which is impossible day dream. Because a divided house cannot stand is what the Bible taught us whether we like it or not. Consequently, many of the business establishments have been closed, forsaken and many have fled to various safer places for fear of death sentence. Further,no multinational and national companies would like to invest in business establishments despite invitations by various bodies led by the State Government owing to such unfriendly environment.
Fate of Government servants
That State Government servants continue to cry helplessly for protection of life and property under the Constitution. But unfortunately, their father, the State is continuing to ignore their cry despite their theory of a Welfare State which is democratic in nature. Hence, they have no guardian as the public. They are left to fend for themselves helplessly and hopelessly as bitterly experienced by the teachers and students of All Nagaland Teachers Association on the 24th April, 2013.
Critical questions
In this context, there are many pending questions in the mind of the public as follows:
(i) Is there a Welfare State to protect the public from the clutch of the anti socials?
(ii)What for the State exist- to protect or run away?
(iii) Why are the elected representatives sleeping when their sheep are all in danger?
(iv) Do they hear their helpless cry for help-Save our Souls?
Or
(v) Are they fleeing away from their responsibility as irresponsible Government of a failed State?
Power to tax
Constitutionally and legally speaking, no organization, no government (recognized or unrecognized) can levy tax without sanction of law. Even the Government of India does not impose tax on the backward Scheduled Tribes like the Nagas as a Welfare State with the intention of special protection. If the so called alien Government is doing so, what about the so called original Naga independent freedom fighters? Who have given them power to levy tax endlessly-yearly, half yearly, and monthly, weekly, daily in self style manner? They must stop such anti social and criminal activities defaming the good name of freedom struggle of independence or give up the noble independent movement even experienced by me and my father. We demanded independence basing on the Bible as Christians eating the fruits of our labour only without an extortion unlike the misguided Naga freedom fighters today.
Duty of the State Government
If there is a genuine Government worth the name, she must stand firm to protect her subjects from further extortion, exploitation, harassment and constant torture as her primary duty. If not, irresponsible Government have no moral and constitutional right to sit in office cowardly except to step down humbly as a failed State.
Duty of the Naga National Workers
If at all there are Naga national workers working for independence and liberation of the Nagas from Indian colonial rule, their duty is never to extort, harass , exploit and kill their family members.On the contrary, their basic duty is to defend, protect their people from all exploitation, extortion, harassment and torture of all kinds. It may be recalled that Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India and the founder of India National Movement performed all the aforesaid sacred duties to free the Indians from the British colonial rule. Later on, Nelson Mandela drawing an inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi followed the same steps to free the Africans from the colonial rule of the whites. If the Naga National workers really fight for the freedom of the Nagas, their secret duty is to fight like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela and not to extort, harass, exploit and torture with the power of the guns.
Biblical solution
The National workers who are all Christians must acknowledge the Bible as their final guide and not the guns. The Bible clearly commanded them, “One should not eat without works” (Gen 3:9;2 Thess 3:10).If so, why extort, steal, kill and exploit your family members endlessly like Satan and his evil spirits? You are supposed to give ‘abundant life’ which Jesus has ushered into the world. Hence, stop stealing ,destruction and killing in the name of independence which means to stand on one’s own feet like the pioneers of the Naga Independent movement from 1947 to 1980. Let us cease from the works of Satan ,the greatest enemy of the Christians (John 10:10) Let us come back to our father like the prodigal son and be forgiven by becoming a blessed son.
Conclusion
Dear beloved brethren, let us come back to the Bible-the final guide of the Christians. Let the Bible correct us, rebuke us and direct us to travel on the right way to Independence (2 Tim 3:16) Let us fully imitate Jesus both in theory and in action .So that we may become agents of liberation and not bondange .
Let us not imitate Herod who faced death by keeping the Israelites in bondage in Egypt. Instead, let us become Moses who freed the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt. Let us travel towards Canaan from Egypt. In accordance with the command to the bible let us eat only the fruits of our labour without further extortion .Let us say “Good bye” to extortion and “yes” to hard labour following the command of the Bible, So that we may become blessing to others.
Dr. E. Renphamo Lotha
Biblical Research Scholar
Good Shepherd Ministry
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Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
