Kaka D Iralu
Can a nation’s determined fight to defend its independence be finally brought to its knees by a truckers strike refusing to supply essential commodities to the people? After all however determined a nation may be, its people cannot fight on empty stomachs! Such a question is hypothetical in nature but it is not totally unfounded because of the following facts:
Prior to the British advent and even during the partial British occupation of our lands, we Nagas were a most independent nation. We were then a proud nation of village republics-self sufficient in essential commodities as well self governance. At that time we were an honest and hard working people, never dependent on any other nation for our political as well as economic survival.
Sadly, with the coming of Indian imperialism into our lands and the flow of foreign currency and commodities that came with it, this proud and self sufficient nation has been reduced to a helplessly dependent nation. Today, the changed scenario is one where we are now dependent on India for supply of almost all essential commodities ranging from rice, dal and potatoes right up to luxury items like TVs, computers and cars. According to the Nagaland’s annual budget of 2006 -2007, out of a total gross receipt of Rs3599.61crore from the Central Government, the Nagaland government was able to produce only Rs215.95crores or only 6% of the annual budget. The rest 94% (Rs3383.66) came as grants and loans from India (See Bit Henningsen’s book: The Church’s Contribution for Unity and Welfare in Nagaland; p168 which is based on actual Nagaland Govt documents). This generation of only 6% of our annual budget has been going on for along time which in other words means we are 94% dependent on India for our economic survival.
To personalize this budget reality into the context of a family, it means that in case a family needs 100 tins of rice for their annual consumption, the family is producing only 6 tins of rice from their own field. The rest 94 tins of rice are coming as donations from others. Now if there is a crop failure in these Good Samaritan’s fields, what will happen to the -only 6 tins producing- family? Well the simple answer is: they either starve, beg or steal to keep alive. This is the unbelievable and yet true economic picture of Nagaland under Indian imperialism. The 94% colossal financial aid from India is of course the Indian citizen’s hard earned tax money.
In the light of these facts, in my opinion, the underground extortionists (both local and outsiders) are for once, ironically, doing a great service to the Naga nation. I for one would like to see all those perishable food commodities to rot away in the borders of Assam. Such an incident would perhaps force Nagas to cultivate these food stuffs themselves from their own very fertile lands. Would that not be a much better alternative then to let these commodities fall into the unscrupulous hands of the Indian middleman in Dimapur who are sucking us dry with their exorbitant prices and tight control of our markets? After all, most of these food grains have been rejected in mainland India as not fit for human consumption.
In conclusion, as a nation, we set out to defend our independence- both political as well as economic- from external invasion. However we seem to have achieved only the INDEPENDENCE OF THE GUN. This independence of the gun has in turn ushered in A GUN CULTURE which is now imperiling our very survival as a nation. However, if this gun culture will help us in restoring our economic independence, then glory hallelujah- we have not lost everything!
