Khekiye K. Sema IAS (Retd.)
Upper Forest Colony; Kohima
"FOUR-LANE PROJECT ENCOUNTERS ROAD-BLOCK OVER 'TAX' DEMAND": (MORUNG EXPRESS: Saturday. June 17. 2017). Every sensible person in Nagaland conducting a commercial trip or a routine one has anxiously been looking forward for the completion of the four-lane highway between Dimapur and Kohima. To now be informed that this project has contracted the NSCN (IM)'s HIV 'tax' virus is the bitter icing on the 'opposition-less' corrupted DAN cake indifferently being tolerated by the Nagas of Nagaland. It deserves condemnation in the strongest terms...both verbally and physically. How long do the Nagas of Nagaland want to silently observe ourselves being slowly strangled by NSCN (IM)...squeezing the very life out of the masses and retarding the growth of our younger generation with their 'insane sovereignty tax extortion'... for the past several decades with no tangible result to really show? Like the fanatical Christian freaks prophesising the precise date and time of the second coming of Christ... NSCN (IM) has recurrently been creating a make-believe scenario that the end of the political solution is at hand... for the past decade plus. Secrecy is the watchword of NSCN (IM), as exemplified by the so-called "Framework Agreement"...the arrogance of singlehandedly deciding the fate of the entire stakeholders without the knowledge or consent of the stakeholders! We are over-patiently suffering an uncompromising Dictator from South of our border commanding his spineless flock with an iron fist...unprepared to humble himself in acknowledgement of his personal history...that he joined the Naga National Movement way after the sacrificial storm was truly borne by the Nagas of Nagaland for Naga sovereignty. Now his flock has begun to declare him as the so-called 'Anointed One' who hides behind self-serving excuses of "National Principle" with adamant inability to accept the originators of the Naga National Movement that he had joined much later, on a simple humane principle of equality. The 'Anointed One' verbally proclaims "Nagaland for Christ" without Christ and delivers Nagaland to Lucifer with his actions. The people may like to exercise their intellectual prowess and make an educated guess as to which of the Two Entities may have nominated General Secretary NSCN (IM) as the "Anointed One". He exercises a very exceptional philosophy beyond the Christian values by asking for the forgiveness of other NNPGs even as he forgives them...with an autocratic rider that all must join him as his subordinates. He must remain the 'Boss-man' to the end. That aptly describes his exclusive kind of Christian forgiveness beyond the tenets of the Holy Scripture... based on his delusionary definition of "National Principles" sans the spirit of Christianity. By all account, the 'anointed one' is deliriously cocooned in his old age fantasy as the 'Father of a Nation' while chocking the very life out of his harassed subjects in the name of "sovereignty" and "integration" that he is unlikely to bring home. What kind of "Father of a Nation" despises progress being attempted within the State of Nagaland and goes out of his way to cripple the lifeline development meant for his people?
The four-lane highway has a tremendous potential of ushering in a new dawn of conveniences that will lighten the burden of everyone without exception...rich or poor. For their immediate purpose, it would even reduce a considerable travelling time of NSCN (IM) to the hills of Manipur which continues to remain their concentrated focus. NSCN (IM) should instead be sparing a small percentage of their gigantic extorted funds from Nagaland State, to replenish the shortfall if any, and encourage the contractors to complete this vital project before the scheduled timeframe rather than be the source of destabilisation with their cockeyed tax demand. It vividly portrays the indifferent disdain of NSCN (IM) towards much needed crucial development within the State of Nagaland. Their inherent greed must come first above all else. They ought to know that for the people of Nagaland, it is of utmost importance that this four-lane highway is completed at any cost...now that it has begun.
The Political Party in power is more likely to be busy suckering up to NSCN (IM) to gain their favour in the forthcoming election and so there is no point in expecting the Government to do anything about this persistently reckless menace. Since reliance on the State Government seem fictional at best, the people should now stand together and ensure that the contractors are allowed to carry on with their already difficult task without an added tax demand threat from NSCN (IM) or any other NNPGs. Should not the overpopulated Naga NGOs of Nagaland say "Enough is Enough" with active finality for a change? Is it not time for the overpopulated NGOs of Nagaland to make a concerted stand together and launch a State-wide awareness campaign with the slogan "No contents declaration of Framework Agreement...No tax" unless of course we the Nagas of Nagaland are content with our destiny being decided by just one man without our knowledge or consent. Or...are we still determined to tuck our tails between our legs in fear and SAY NOTHING...DO NOTHING?! Where do we stand?!
