Lately Nagas have come to a proper realization of the term, ‘injustice.’ With the birth of ACAUT, there has begun a green revolution in Nagaland. We all expect our own Naga brothers and sisters to show some kind of justice in executing their works so that the public gets its due share in due season. When the shares of the far flung villages are well eaten by the rich and the powerful in the well-built offices and furnished homes, the poor villagers continue to live in misery. Some people fattened themselves from the poor man’s share. Even in this state of life, the simple villagers live a happy social life. It is confusing when injustice is integrated with the social life of the people. All the same, habitual injustice meted out to villagers need to be wiped out so that there is equal share for equal people.
Village life can be heading for its own ruin if no precautions are taken at the right time. Huge sum of money in the form of numerous schemes and funds which are well managed by VDB Secretary and his close colleagues in most villages inside the closed doors is quite darkish (a green village with a dark life). Therefore, the fight for the post of Chairman, VDB Secretary, etc is really a type of head hunting. Do they fight in order to render their best service to the villagers or to eat them up? This shows the warring life of the Nagas. Nagas are no pagans (few exceptions); therefore, they found different ways of fighting and killing. It is better to fight Christianly than to live paganly. There are numerous volunteers who forced themselves into such posts but not for other selfless works. The ladder climb begins with a tug of war. At the end, such people never appear to recount their good deeds. There are many tigermen in Nagaland. They know how to wait and snatch a good meal for themselves. While on the other hand, the simple villagers await the coming of such schemes/funds with lots of expectation. Some people munch the funds in laughter, others keep waiting till they grow old and grey. When any misuse of funds is detected, such leaders resign immediately. This hypocritical act is to shut the mouth of the poor villagers. They wash their hands off and allow the villagers to drink the same water from the basin. Nagaland has many reservoirs of dirty water where tainted hands are washed regularly. ‘Resignation’ does not mean that you have washed yourselves clean. Many leaders escape through the back door never to appear in public again. After gaining from the public funds, they quit the game cleverly with a big belly. The belly does not allow them to see the potholes of life.
We often blame the Government for its indifference to the needs of the public. But the public leaders often eat up the money from the Government and easily put the blame on the Government. The same leaders gather people to voice loudly against the Government. This is the drama in Nagaland. We do not know whom to blame for our underdeveloped State. The crowd is confused in anger. In the later age, the anger of the common people will turn towards their own leaders in the villages and towns.
There are also many associations within a tribe that swallows the nutrition of the tribe. In the guise of lifting up the tribe or village, they bring down the life of the people. This is why many Nagas remain stagnant till death. Most associations are in search of personal gain directly or indirectly. Be it men or women associations, they are becoming termites of the tribes. By this they dethrone many good systems of the tribe. The real workers silently toil day and night like yeasts in the society.
The greed of the rich can bring about disparity in the Naga society. We all desire the latest vehicle, magnificent houses and thousand acres of land to keep us secure. But how many Nagas are living under stolen roofs? How many Nagas are driving stolen vehicles (or bought with stolen money)? How many Nagas extended his/her four walls towards his neighbours land? Most of us are living at the expense of others’ money and property? The sense of belonging is too strong when it comes to one’s property. This crazed behaviour is leading Nagas to the wilderness of bitter individualism.
The public property which lies beside the road suddenly become individual’s property. Once it reaches your gate, it belongs to you because you worked hard during the dark hours of the night. That is why there are many electrical posts, water pipes, cable wires and other public goods in the house of many people. I am sure they have become good caretakers of what does not belong to them. Some houses look like Government store. They can be rightly called ‘semi-government house.’ There are many people who are just dying to bring home many goods and stuffs from unknown sources. They are the unrecognized smugglers. The richer they get, the wilder they become. Yet, life continues under the dark shadow.
Nagaland is becoming “Chor Bazaar State.” Does this sound well? No, it does not. But the real picture indicates such state of life. We are well acquainted with receiving than giving. This has led our children to live beyond the boundary of our dreams and aspirations. Today, many children are spoon fed with tainted money and they grow up only to fit the wild life. Good and honest life is learnt not from books and Google, but from good parents. This generation needs parents and leaders who can live Christian values inside their own homes.
I believe that the good will and spirit of ACAUT will weed out injustice not only in the big offices but also in the village level. This will create a true green revolution in the Naga history. ACAUT has truly ventured into breaking the well-established integrated injustice in Naga society.
With good will,
Rev. Fr. G. L. Khing
Kohima
tisislawkhing@gmail.com
