Kaka D. Iralu
There have been, and still are many irritating things in Nagaland. For example, we were oppressed and suppressed by the Indian army and all its heinous laws for all our lives. But as if this was not enough, we splintered from the NNC and FGN and formed three GPRNs, three NNCs and started oppressing and even killing one another. Today every citizen of Nagaland is directly or indirectly paying taxes to all these Naga national factions. Glory halleluiah, what a wonderful independence we have achieved after 62 years of sacrifices and sufferings. Praise the Lord indeed- as our national workers always utter every time they celebrate a national day or announce yet another fasting for the nation. Some nationalism and some Christianity indeed!!!
But lest I get a bullet for expressing my genuine feelings too openly, let me come back to the topic. And I hope the electricity will hold on till I finish, for that is the irritant issue that I want to highlight. Now, Nagaland became a state in India in 1963 and I think electricity came to Kohima in 1965. But from the year of its introduction to the present day, in my entire life, I am yet to see a regular presence of this most essential commodity in Nagaland for even a week in one go. As a writer who has to spend most of his waking hours on the computer, the hourly black out of electricity has become a most irritating thing in Kohima. Here I am sure other people of other professions would also agree with me as electricity is an indispensable commodity for every one. As for me, every time I am in the middle of writing or researching through the internet on a very important issue, the lights will go off only to return after an hour. The experience is like somebody grappling my hoe and throwing it away when I am very busy digging my garden. It is like making me to stand in the garden for one hour with no hoe in my hand to continue my work. I tell you, even the Indian army has never oppressed me to this extend!
Now, Nagaland is supposed to have the most special status under the wonderful Constitution of India with Article 371 A as the gem for Nagaland. And one of the articles under this extraordinary gift from India is that as far as the lands of the Nagas is concerned: “No Act of Parliament in respect of…Ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the state of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides.”(Article 371A (a), (iv). Today, the Doyang Hydal Project is producing 75 mega watts of electricity. But out of these 75 mega watts, only 17% is given to Nagaland and the rest is taken away by India. Now, if under Artcle 371 A, “Naga lands” and its resources belong to the Naga people, then why is the Central Government taking away 83% of electricity produced from tiny Nagaland and giving us only 17% ? After all the electricity produced is from the Naga River Doyang flowing inside the lands of the Nagas.
By the way, more irritating is the Indo-Burma Hydal Project that is going to dam the great Chindwin River inside Naga territory. This project will uproot and displace over one lack Nagas along with their livelihood which is through fishing. It will also take away thousands of hectares of their most fertile fields. No proper compensations are going to be paid to them for dismantling their villages. Also so far, no proper alternative site for their resettlement has been provided either by the Burmese Government or the Indian Government. As for the electricity produced, 80% will be taken by the Indian Government as India is building the dam. The rest 20% will go to the Burmese Government. As for the Naga- land and river owners- there is nothing for them, except misery and starting life all over again as displaced people in their own lands. This is what it means to be under somebody else’s Constitution and be somebody else’s subjects.
In conclusion, allow me to end with a question to our Power Minister and the Government of Nagaland. Why is the Nagaland Government so powerless to ask for more power from the Indian Government when we have such a special provision as Article 371 A?
