Kaka D. Iralu
For many centuries in recorded history, Nagaland remained an unknown country until the British stumbled into our Shangri-La in 1832. Prior to the entry of the British, our existence as a fierce nation of warriors was known and recorded by our immediate neighbors like the Ahoms and the Meteis. But with the exception of these two neighbor kingdoms and their Royal records, we remained an unknown people to the rest of the world for millenniums. Tugged away amidst gigantic mountains and feared by all its neighbors for its fierce headhunting practices, we Nagas quietly developed one of the purest forms of democracy in world history. This democracy was in turn guided by a unique legal system from within a land where land ownership was equally shared by every citizen. And as we quietly developed all these unique features of our national identity, the world let us alone because no international trade routes like the old ‘Silk route” ever traversed our lands. Also as we metamorphosed into a nation, we were not influenced by any religious books or dogmas because no religious invasions had ever intruded into our lands. Our forefathers, simply guided by their consciences, developed a very unique political, legal and land ownership system that is unprecedented in human history and had also withstood the tests of time. And in these aspects, we Nagas have many unique things to offer to the rest of the world. Besides these precious treasures of our national polity, the mineral wealth underneath our feet and the bio-diverse agriculture, horticulture, herbal and floral wealth above our ground, remains largely untapped and un- commercialized to date. With this tremendous wealth, we will be able to build a politically and economically strong independent Nagaland in the near future.
But what will happen if tomorrow, our land with all its treasures becomes a trade route connecting South Asia with South-East Asia? What will happen, if tomorrow, our land becomes a high way of trade and commerce between other nations who have never conquered us in history? As historical facts stands, we too are an ancient nation. But coming to modern history, we had defied our neighbor kingdoms like the Manipuris, the Kacharis, the Ahoms and the Tripuris for over seven centuries (13th century to the end of the 19th century- i.e. Entry of the Ahoms in 1228 to the end of the Ahom kingdom in the 19th century. Side by side with this Ahom-Naga wars, we also simultaneously kept on fighting with the other Princely neighbor Kingdoms with whom we had been fighting from ancient times to defend our lands) Then we next defied the mighty British empire from 1832 to1947, conceding only 30% of our territories to their administration. Then still next, we have been defying India and Burma from 1947 to date. Now if today, we are an independent nation, we can allow or disallow our sovereign lands to be used as a trade route for neighbor nations. But tragically, despite of over eight centuries (13th -21st) of heroic resistance, under the present political circumstances- if an international trade route is to be build across our lands- all that foreign nationals will need for traversing our lands with their economic goods would be an Inner Line permit issued by either the Government of India or Burma. In this proposed international trade route, both India and Burma will make tremendous economic gains from the highway. But what will Nagas gain from such an Indian and Burmese economic enterprise?
Well, perhaps we will get the benefits of owning some Restaurants, Hotels, Dhabas and even some Motels along the international highway. I mean to say “Hotel Malik benefits.” In these hotels and motels, many young Naga boys and girls might also find employment- serving as waiters and waitresses. God forbid, but there is also all the possibility of a booming flesh trade and drug trade and arms trade that can come up with all its harmful social evils that will surely and adversely effect the present Naga youth. Now, in a world that has become a global village, an international trade route across our lands may bring some temporary economic benefits to us. But at this particular political juncture, where we are still under invasion from India and Burma and therefore, cannot act according to our own sovereign national will, would such a highway bring more evil than good for our younger generations? And what of our a fore mentioned political, cultural and national wealth? Would they too not come under serious threat of disintegration and assimilation with the polity and cultures of other nations?
As far as I am concerned, I want our land to be a free and independent country where other nations will come with respect to our country and interact with us towards building mutually beneficial political and economic enterprises. The dream here is one of becoming a world cultural, religious and intellectual center where other nations can be blessed by our heritage. Therefore, the battle for our freedom and sovereignty is of far more importance than building an international trade highway that will open the doors of our nation for other nations to trample our lands for the greater economic benefits of India and Burma.
