Appreciating Your Esteemed Response To – “An Open Letter To Her Respectable and Honourable Adinno Phizo, President NNC”

Respected Mr. Kolezo Chase.
Spokesman, NNC.

My letter, published in Letter to the Editor, Eastern Mirror, dated May 24, 2018, seeking a clarification for a particular sentence; under the heading “An open letter to her respectable and honourable Adinno Phizo, President NNC”. This letter seeks to thank you for your clarified response to the sentence; published in Letter to the Editor, Eastern Mirror, dated May 30, 2018: Couldn’t respond to your esteem response earlier, as I was out of station.

Firstly: my heartfelt condolences to all who have sacrificed and laid down their life for the cause. RIP.

Secondly: Thank you for your esteemed clarified response. Anyone who reads your esteemed clarification, related to the sentence “The strange thing is that no single honest Indian among a billion people”….. does speak volumes for itself. We have been deeply touched and moved. Your esteem response is highly appreciated.

Thirdly: Rationally/Logically speaking: You are right: we are neither from same father nor same mother; but born from different stocks; but Biblically: YES; we are from the same father ‘Adam’ and mother ‘Eve’; and the Holy Koran too says so. The Genes: Medically proven; Hinduism says Bindu. The Point from where all life evolved.

Fourthly: By the grace of the Almighty, we as neighbors were and are extremely friendly and sharing a cordial relationship till date, by maintaining our unique distinct beliefs and cultures, etc. In these advanced days, to take our relationship a step further; to strengthen our ties and build trusts: to have instilled faith in each other; our friendship   has now evolved into a relationship. We have jointly started to celebrate an Ethnic Fest for two consecutive years, known as SCNEEF, i.e. Sildubi-Changpang North East Ethnic Festival; held right in the brink of the border between Sildubi (Assam) and Changpang (Nagaland); with support from both states Administration, Public, NEZCC ( Kudos to Mr. Lipokmar Tzudir, the then Director NEZCC) and a visit by Director, Nagaland Tourism, as Guest of Honor,  to explore the tourism potentials this fest and surrounding areas has to offer for the visiting national and international tourists. The President of ‘SCNEEF’ is His Honourable Mr. W. Yingashumo Kithan, Retd. Taxes Commissioner (Nagaland), representing Nagaland for 6 organisations; Working President is Mr. Bipin Sonowal; a Retd Assam Govt. Teacher; Vice President-ship is jointly shared by Mr. Pithungo Kithan Govt. Teacher and Mr. Mridul Sonowal, a Contractor and a local elected G.P member; Chief Secy. is Mr. Palash Hazarika, a businessman; Secretary is jointly shared by His Respectable Mr. K. Lithao Kithan (His lady wife respectable Mrs.Teresa (Kinghen) Kithan): the Patron and land owner of major Oil fields/wells and two Gas bearing wells in ONGC Changpang; also S/o founder of ONGC Changpang; which is a part of the main Changpang Village with Mr. Hironjyoti Sonowal, a Contractor with the ONGC Civil dept. and Organising Secy. is Mr. Champak Kr. Gogoi. Assam Govt. employee in the PHD dept. The Fest is an annual event and is celebrated on the 6th, 7th and 8th, January; under the aegis of Sildubi Borholla Changpang Circle Eco-Tourism Development Society (SBCETDS). Where the President is Mr. Tilok Baruah, a contractor with ONGC Civil dept. and Honorable Secy. is Mr. S. Thungjamo Odyuo. An Ex. Chairman, who had surrendered his Chairmanship. Mentioning a few important designated persons who are really helping to co-ordinate between the people living along our border area/pocket. We successfully hoisted the fest with cooperation from our immediate Naga neighbors, in spite of fresh border turmoil during those days i.e. demand for a greater Nagalim. We take pride in our relationship with our Naga brother and sisters as neighbors. Though there are more such committees and organisations, doing their bit in maintaining a peaceful cordial relationship of existence between the public of these two states. Thou, we are from different stocks, the way we interstate neighbors mingle with each other, share and live in the border, is unbelievable and thought provoking to many people who has never come here nor lived in a/our border area. You’ll are welcome to come and see, feel, sense the cordial and highly/extremely friendly relationship and profound feelings we harbor and preserve, in this small place/pocket; which could be an example for other people living along the border areas, in these days of disputes leading to conflicts.

We as neighbors were and are still ever ready to a beckon: and at ‘beck and call’; by the grace of God; we were ever helpful at times of need, when the time demands it. In the later part of 70’s, we were also the first people to help out with the Oil explorations, survey and operations in Nagaland. Again in 2007, after the Hoho meeting, which I attended to; i.e. before the Oil modalities were set; the church was divided into two; the village citizens were almost up in arms because of the Oil issue. The then Pastor started taking sides, when he should have been a neutral pillar and a peace maker. I did all in my means to pool in the people to negotiate, to keep the people in harmony for the sake of their wellbeing. There are more deeds to stress on; this is just an example of a few deeds we both sides of the border people are sharing. Your land laws are unlike ours. Whatever is found in your land, whether minerals like coal, oil, etc, belongs to you; i.e. the Land owner, the Village, the state, etc, gets a shared margin of it; whereas for us we have to surrender our land to the Govt. of India with the Govt. compensating us with a bare minimum and no turning back. We have our queries too with the Govt. of India.

How our friendship: transcended into a relationship: is history. It goes back to 1870/1880’s; to those good old yonder days of barter. When the Naga people use to come down to the plains for exchanging their produces… So, the name BOR-HOLLA. BOR means Big: HOLLA meaning exchange. The path the Naga brothers then took to reach Borholla through the dense jungle is known as NAGA-BAT meaning Nagas Path. So, the name Nagabat. Even his honourable Late. Mr. A. Z. Phizo, the then President NNC and his honourable Late. Mr. Khotao Yanthan, Vice President NSCN (IM) (May their Souls Rest in Peace), came via this path…stayed overnight….The rest is history.

Fifth: I am aware of the boundary claims. By the grace of the Almighty, our pocket/place which shares a common porous border with Nagaland of around approx.12 Kms; is till date without any disputes or untoward incidents. Though that pocket in future may become or come under the Govt. of Nagaland. Only time will tell. For, land is not something that we pocket it and walk away with it. It is God gifted.

In our area/place/pocket, a certain portion of the border area has been demarcated by a nullah/drain by mutual consent; an understanding by ancestral elders of both the sides; and the porous border demarcation is respected till date. Nobody on either side encroaches on either’s land. With Tie-ups, Tea plantation has been sprouting on your side of the fence, since 1952/54, when I was nowhere near being born (or not born): bringing in monetary benefit and giving economic freedom and liberating the local villagers to get their wards a decent education and making them responsible citizens and disciplined human beings; which most of the Naga brothers and sisters are as a whole – disciplined. This is your priceless heritage which you’ll have to value and uphold into the future. God bless.

Sixth: I know globalization does not mean sacrificing ours or your national boundary and borders. To clarify, Globalisation is a vision of an enhanced profound feeling, evolved out of a progressive thought envisaged; whether globalised businesses, laws, globalised primary education, etc, to name a few, embraces the globe.

Seventh: What I mean by living in a borderless world is that we are working towards a borderless world: is another progressive thought envisaged; a process, which can evolve to avail only if the ground is stable. Not with AFSPA (Arms Forces Special Power Act) and DAA (Disturbed Area Act) looming large over our heads; which is a nuisance and a hindrance to a developing and evolving society, which will have adverse affects. Abolish it. Sooner the better. We have to overcome those hindrances that prevent us all to live as ONE or those seen and unseen barriers – which prevents or pulls us back and does not allow us – to live side by side harmoniously, peacefully as ONE. It’s only when we overlook and overcome these barriers: we can live in a borderless world; that too, only if we get involved emotionally, where we respect the feelings and sentiments of each other; like in love and marriage; where profound feelings, thoughts, love for each other takes a center stage. As we know, love is an intense feeling of deep affection; a feeling where everything is irrationally overlooked: is why we say love is blind: blinded by the love symbol of two hearts in both the eyes. Love is that 7th sense that kills all the other 6 senses and makes the person Nonsense. But this is the word (LOVE) the whole world rotates.  And in reality, living in a borderless world: is a global affair…. For more insightful details: refer an article published in Eastern Mirror, page 8, dated, June 21, 2018; bottom of the page, under the heading: “69% youth feel communalism, jingoistic politics major threat”. The vision envisaged, is doing its rounds around the globe with likeminded ‘globizens’ or global citizens, envisaged by a visionary. The barriers are all in the mind, which we have to let go off. To live in a borderless world and apply that vision locally and to assume so, it is an enhanced thought, born out of the profound feelings of the relationship we share with our immediate Naga neighbors; for we here are already living without a proper boundary or border: and still, by the grace of God, no disputes; and co-operating on many terms not mentioned here. On seeing the stability and confidence we have bestowed or they, i.e. our immediate Naga brothers and sisters as neighbors have bestowed on us: is where our feelings and senses have led us to perceive a borderless world. This thought is like a new born child, which has to be nurtured, till the idea ideated matures. At this moment of time, this thought may not be acceptable/agreeable to many a people; but this is what the ultimate state of affairs in the world will be. We cannot have sweet healthy progressive profound thoughts and feelings, if the ground we stand on is not stable, the environment we live in -is not fresh. To have such lovely profound thoughts and feelings, stability and freshness counts and matters. It is important for us, you’ll and the rest of the world, to know, what the new generations thinks, feels visualizes, etc; and act according to their visualized thoughts, feelings, towards divinity; the next stimulated and motivated generation: the torch bears of the new civilization; who will be carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders into the future: because they are abound with fresh visualizations, fresh thoughts, and fresh feelings, etc; waiting to be recognized and implemented; with no malice towards anyone or anybody, but for the greater welfare of all. Act locally: to Effect Globally. One Earth: Care and Share.

In this unexpectedly fast changing world, with new developments taking place every day in almost all fronts, we here cannot afford to be bogged down by sticking to outdated thoughts, feelings, perceptions perceived. At this phase of evolution, we cannot afford to sit still, be a mute spectator and not be moved by the global changes taking place around us; where we are directly in effect. The world is moving on to achieve its ultimate destiny mankind is destined for. That is hoping for a gate to open to the Golden Ages or Era – Together. Amen.

Thank you very much for your open invitation to your deemed office: for a discussion of common interests; which I accept. Thank you. Once again.

As a special gratitude to Eastern Mirror, this letter is also to show our esteem appreciation to the newspaper media: for its true sense and essence: the part/role media can play/do and is playing/doing: in bridging this incommunicable gap/distance between us and to help strengthen bonds we share with our immediate Naga brothers and sisters as neighbors. This is a vital medium newspapers media can help us pull down the unseen barriers, to help us all to overcome our differences; enabling us to maintain our unique distinct beliefs, cultures, traditions, etc; which is our heritage: to help make a better world for us all to live as good neighbors, side by side harmoniously, peacefully and come closer to live as ONE. I would like to thank the Eastern Mirror for publishing this letter of appreciation, to help clarify the misunderstood sentence; another aspect the newspaper media is doing its bit to develop/built and strengthen bonds among us: concerned. I/we appreciate the newspaper Eastern Mirror in bridging this gap and setting a platform for friendship. Thank you.

God bless.

Featherman.
featherman.neelkanth@gmail.com