Why Nagas are Divided on Naga Integration Issues: Part II

The reasons why Nagas are divided on integration issues:

Poor Economic Conditions and its effect:
Without any debate, Nagas can admit that the economic factor as one of the main factors harming Naga political aspiration and its unity. Nagas wherever they may be, they need to seriously consider to suggest measures to liberate the Nagas from the bondage of economic crisis to establish long lasting peace in the lives of the entire Nagas. Apart from economic conditions, ‘tribe first’ politics as always make Nagas speak with different voice at the same time which might bring deadly consequences like in the past, unless corrected.

From day one, the poor economic conditions of the people gave a huge blow to the Naga political aspirations and its movement; Nagas had no option to survive and were easily bought off and divided. The Nagas quickly given statehood and its people placed under administration of different states govt. to strategically weaken and put an end to the movement, yet the movement never ends as programmed by Union Govt. aided with determined assistance of some Naga elected leaders to put full stop to the movement calling it wrong or misguided movement. Here question of terming it a wrong or misguided movement does not matter in the beginning and even now; as it is illogical to directly attempt to put off a people’s movement erupted out of strong beliefs for self determination and where thousands of precious souls have committed to the cause. And in the journey lots have happened to the Nagas and one must learn to accept that what happened has happen for the good reason. For future sake we should not remain bitter about past development but come to terms with our ugly past to build a bright future for entire Nagas.

Whether we realize it or not, certain settlements/accord from the past which are repeatedly condemn by Naga Nationalist and public alike has in many ways played the role of a ‘light’ in taking the movement forward leading through the darkness to the present and final stage of dialogue in arriving acceptable political settlement. Though some writers have questioned what will be acceptable settlement? Here proper consultation between public and representatives of nationalist groups can help people come to an understanding in accepting any kind of settlement but few representatives deciding for thousands of people without getting the real consent and support of the people may lead to another historical accident. Right now Nagas are not only divided on integration issues but also on ‘kind of settlement’ with the Union Government.

After the creation of statehood, Nagas became further divided on integration issues. Some started to consider the new drawn boundaries as final/original and some considering it as artificial boundaries and not the final boundary. In such different conclusion, rise of different nature of conflicts and regional politics are inevitable.

Moreover state politician, tribal bodies, intellectuals, students and public decides sensitive issues on basis of limited resources or limited availability of govt. jobs within one small state. Such opinion or decision is the outcome of deficit of intelligence and political blindness. When we don’t have ideas and strong will to build resources with available resources everything thing will become limited. In addition majority of state politician only plays politics of votes purchasing, intimidating political opponents, acquiring more govt. jobs, awarding contracts, diverting developmental scheme, jobs reservation for his party/tribes, saving more money to contest in consecutive terms and accordingly majority of common Nagas has become so cheap that they cannot think of life beyond govt. jobs, quota/reservations in govt. jobs etc due to lack of earning facility/avenue apart from govt. sector.

Had state politician and Naga factional Nationalist leaders come to an understanding to cooperate with each other and invested in developing infrastructures, avenues, promote trade and commerce at village, inter-district, inter-state level to economically empower majority of poor Nagas irrespective of territorial boundaries the relationships among the Nagas would have been much better at the same time strengthened the Naga political aspiration. Instead Naga factional nationalist leaders hijack every infrastructural development for themselves yet considering its Anti-Naga along with not so committed member of legislature in developing state basic infrastructure. Other things are Lack of statesmanship among state politician and famine of foresight ideas among Nationalist leaders had made the common Nagas more dependent on ruling class at the same time created more suspicion and hatred among the common Nagas i.e. public.

Now, it depend on the Naga factional leaders how to take up the next right step. Economically dependent and poor Nagas can also learn from ‘Catalonia’ a rich autonomous state a part of Spain which is now fighting for separate independent Nation from Spain. Catalonians are not only economically independent but Catalonia one of the richest state in Europe and united though few populations oppose independence. Even for rich and united people like Catalonians the possibility of achieving their goals is slim, Nagas are exactly the opposite Majority of its population are extremely poor and bitterly divided. What to expect next?

In between we must also remember that numerous nationalist movements for self determination in Northeast region could not achieved what Naga Nationalist movement has so far achieved and about to achieved. The best opportunity is now; we missed today and Nagas might miss it forever. Moreover Congress led central govt. after late Indira Gandhi reign had never seriously reconsider Naga aspirations due to several reasons notable among them is the infighting among the Nagas which gave opportunity to the central govt. to implement their delaying tactics. After all India have numerous national/international issues to care of. Nagas are Big only in their own eyes not in the eyes of others.

Recollecting past decisions:
In any sensitive matter be past or present, leaders are also known for taking biased decisions thinking the world will end along with his death without any concern for succeeding generations and from one biased decision taken in the past, numerous complications continues to rise among the present Nagas and which is still continuing. Life on earth will not stop for no one knew the end of time and so Naga people journey will continue till the end of time likewise past/present Naga leader’s good or bad legacy will remain till the world ends.

Unavoidable points to be remembered by common Nagas:
1. Whether solutions/integration materialized or not, Nagas will remain Nagas. People may or may not continue to live under different state government. Similarly Suffering at the hands of government headed by our own kind is more tragic than to suffer under govt. headed by other kind/ethnic groups. Therefore majority poor Naga people must always remember that the ruling class i.e. Naga nationalist or state politician had already built their own fortune during a decade’s long conflict and they had nothing much to lose but any impasse or negative outcome from the ongoing talks will continue to hamper the growth of majority economically weak Nagas.

2. Even after fifty years of statehood, state govt. could not do much to ease the plight of the masses likewise under any form of government the same situation of lack of development will continue as the leaders of same characters will continue to lead the government, whether the govt. Is establish under the provisions of Indian constitution or govt. establish as result of political settlement. We can only change the climate if common people reform themselves and think twice before choosing the leaders but the people are still ignorant as of now.

3. The poor common Nagas must be wise enough by now that choosing sides and engaging in factional clash on tribe/regional lines as done in the past will only make the public poorer and poorer while the decision makers continues to make profits in term of crores of rupees out of and during the crisis. The unaccountable wealth of underground and over ground leaders is a living witness. The poor common Nagas must instead rise above tribal lines to unite and raised one voice to maintain permanent peace and push for programs to eradicate poverty at any cost.

4. Freedom is not really free when government does nothing to eradicate poverty from the life of the people. And it seems various governments functioning in Nagaland does not bother much, so last option to save the people from poverty and corruptions, the majority poor people must unite and give chance to man of progressive ideas and true conviction to lead the people not to man of unaccountable wealth whose intention is to served himself and make more profit at the same time blabber about peace, prosperity and progress. Fifty years is a long period of time for people to come to its real sense. It’s not like all man of vast wealth will easily serve all the people as he had enough wealth so we will choose him or vote him to power and what has happened to the Nagas by listening only to a man of wealth alone; present situation is your answer. The people must be wise enough to choose individuals with quality and integrity then rampantly choose wealthy individuals and criticize him after making him the representatives of the people.

5. It’s not like, Nagas lack man of progressive ideas and quality, they exist but they chose not to play with money so they were denied the opportunity by their own stupid kind who only thinks for short term benefits and chose to listen only to individuals with wealth. The stupid kinds will commit the same blunder of listening to man of wealth alone and soon after grumble ceaselessly for not developing the state.

6. Almost all Naga leaders are of same character be state politicians or nationalist leaders in making profit at the expense of ignorant public.

7. When Nagas cannot run village administration efficiently how can Nagas run a country/state administration efficiently?

Reality Check:
The ground reality as determined by our poor economic conditions is that since the coming of modernization accompanied with its vast transformation in people lives, past economically independent Naga economic activity of barter system with plain people was left with no option but to take a back seat leading Nagas to the total dependency on Indian economy starting from its usage of currency and every kind of products used by Nagas past or present including the formal institutionalized education implemented in Nagaland and Naga inhabited areas. Yet Nagas have not been thankful enough to acknowledge that Union government has been kind enough to even recognize and give due respect to the economically dependent Nagas to push forward their political aspiration at this age, in total contrast Nagas are not even respectful nor recognize each other by basing everything on tribes. It is also a taboo for majority of Nagas to regard Nagas as Indian, though almost all Nagas strive to work and countable population works in state government service or central government service. Not excluding fanatic Naga nationalist who wants their children’s and relative children’s become IAS officer and what not. Nagas are cheap indeed. Clear cut policy is the need of the hour to stop being parasitic.

Today, Nagas are in such a mess as the Naga society are full of shortsighted/ignorant individuals and often such shortsighted individuals end up making the most important decisions for all the people. The younger generations are also put up in dilemma as to which leaders are truly worthy, state elected legislature or nationalist leaders, reality check is leaders from both category seems to be more of self serving than serving the people. When the leaders stop serving the people, state or nations will starts to disappear bit by bit. In the process puts political aspiration in a standstill, Naga political aspirations have been in standstill for almost a century now as the so-called leaders stop serving the people they proclaimed to stand for.

So who select/elect the leaders? The masses, so when the masses are full of stupid, self righteous yet ignorant and shortsighted, the leaders too will be of same character for he is chosen from among the ignorant society. Corrupted politician or nationalist leaders are the creation of the Naga society itself, not directly sent down from above to be the leaders of the Nagas. Thus ignorant society will not be able to build economy of their state or nation but only build personal economy. Naga society is one fine example.

The Road Ahead:
Though we are living in difficult times due to our own creation, we can still right the wrong by rethinking all the sensitive subject matters. The situation is such that a Naga individual is not free at all to voice out his opinion and to whom and what to believe. His words can be put against him by numerous Naga nationalist factions or by the Union Government. No matter, everything is being watched now.

Nagas future depends on the factional leaders now, though countable Nagas deny and degrade the existence of nationalist groups mainly due to factional clashes, repeated abuse of power by nationalists in taking the name of Naga Nation, mis-governance, looting/hijacking developments. Whatever it may be, Nationalist groups are key player now.

Nationalist groups cannot take entire Nagas forward separately to different camps and without gaining the trust of the people they claim to represent. Public opinion speaks for itself; many have doubts on what is in store for them. Sooner or later if they find things in store are opposite to their expectations factional leaders cannot afford to forget that each Naga tribes are very much independent and tribes after tribes in collaboration would not hesitate to take new route. What happened in 1963 can still happen in 2017 or beyond.

What I feel will be the appropriate steps:
1. Whatever provisions the solution accord might entails, things can still be smooth and peaceful, if nationalist factions manage to join hands and appeal to the masses to be with them at this approaching final hour. Nagas should not become North Nagalim and South Nagalim like North Korea and South Korea.

2. When the people are fed up of mis-governance by state government for several decades, promising a new pro-development and pro-people government will not be a bad thing to start with in trying to gain the support of the people. Yet remaining silent the whole time with hidden plan to gain absolute allegiance later by the presence of military strength could turn the land of the Nagas into the same fate suffered by Myanmar.

3. Whatever forms of government, the ruling party decides to adopt and implement, it can be successfully implemented only with the permission and sanction of the people not by force. In addition, the government should govern with principle of justice and fairness not on partiality and favoritism like Nagas are still famous for.

Ending with a warning note; the danger of a new ruling party/govt. deem to be dominated and run arbitrarily by one particular tribe without any rule of law will no doubt force the history to repeat itself as we know what Nagas are made off. Therefore at this critical hour, if the Naga Nationalist leaders and faithful followers fail to be believers of ‘Naga First’ both in theory and practice and act according to the principle of ‘Naga First’, chaos and destruction will be the ultimate results of final solution.

‘’Nagas still flirts between ‘Tribe First’ and ‘Naga First’ politics even after seeing the uncountable damages done to Naga political aspiration right from the moment Naga Nationalism was ignited.” So far Nagas could manage to recover from the blows hit by deadly consequences of tribe first politics, well if it hit again, this time it may come to an end of Naga nationalism.

Pakinrichapbo
Dimapur