Kaka D Iralu
For me and my generation who were born in the mid 1950’s, we have walked this planet earth for over half a century. All of us have also celebrated Christmases for over fifty times in our lives. But tragically for this generation, all those Christmases have been celebrated without experiencing the joy of the Angel’s song who had sung Jesus’ birthday proclaiming: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill towards man.”(Lk 2:14)
PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWIL TOWARDS MAN! Oh, that my generation’s song had also been exactly that…After all, our mothers did not conceive us in hatred and brought us into this world to hate our fellowmen. But by a treacherous twist of history- where what was inalienably ours was forcefully taken by others- we were born into a world of hatred and anger. It was anger and hatred caused by India’s mighty army who invaded our lands in the early 1950’s and burnt to ashes almost the whole of Nagaland from south to east to west to north. And in this inferno, we were born amidst the sound of gunfire and exploding bombs as a whole nation fled into the wild forests of Nagaland. In those forest wilds, they died in their hundreds and thousands from bullets, bombs, starvation and disease.
But even in the midst of all these despair and desolation, our grand parents still defiantly named us Dierhekolies (We will win if we are united), Kedingulies (We shall live with Independence), Kedipuno (She shall speak for Independence) etc. And as my generation that was baptized in blood and tears grew up, we also inadvertently learned how to hate the enemy and also learned how to fight for our rights. Yes many of us, whose parents and brothers and sisters were murdered, raped and desecrated, marched to Burma, Pakistan and even China at the tender ages of sixteen and even fourteen and thirteen. Many died in many foreign battles –never to return home. Back at home, many a life was destroyed by anger and frustration that ended in alcoholic deaths. Still going deeper, many a hearth and home today stands torn asunder by this mad plaque of anger and frustration. This destructive plaque has over shadowed our beautiful hills and mountains for all these past long long years.
And now, as this-my fifty sixth Christmas on earth-dawns over my beautiful country once again, my heart, my soul and yes- even my very bones and marrows long for a Christmas of happiness joy and peace on earth…
