No sooner that the news of the death of Late Isak Chisi Swu was announced the reaction from the Nagas from all walks of life was spontaneous and the news spread like wild fire among the Nagas across the globe. A people that inhabits an area that is geographically a small speck compared to the huge land mass of South Asia and South East Asia but still a people united for a cause. Inspite of the internal differences and a history marked with fratricidal killings, there is a Naganess that usually gets obscured by the presence of so many issues and controversies that the Naga society is going through. It sometimes requires someone from outside the circle to really see things in the wider perspective.
Many a journalist from the national media were in for a surprise when Nagas from almost all the factions, who were once after each other’s life itself could come together and pay their respects to the departed soul. It was evident that Nagas were as united as before though there are differences, was what many of the journalist from the country took back with them. The credit also goes to the efforts of so many individuals and organisations who worked tirelessly to broker peace between the warring factions. However it is that quality of being a Naga with added Christian values that the world was witness to such rare moment of camaraderie among the different Naga nationalist groups on the day of the memorial service at Agri Expo grounds Dimapur. Moreover the so-called wide divide of the Nagas on tribal lines as many observers from outside regularly read about the Nagas was absent on the days following the news of the death till the burial at Chishilimi. People from all walks of life welcomed the hearse carrying the body. Public memorial services were held at New Delhi, Dimapur, Kohima and finally at his native village all attended in big numbers. There were traditional war cries from the public indicating a hero’s welcome. Condolences poured in from across the world from places where there were Nagas. These are all signs that show that Nagas indeed have great respect for their leaders and proud of whether friend or foe and emotionally still united for a cause. That is the strength that the Naga public have shown to the outside world in the past few days.
Such display of oneness from the public should embolden the leaders of all the Naga national groups to work to the advantage of peace and unity. Time to prove the sceptics wrong and find ways to work together. The leaders do not need any more signs from the people, the gesture from the Naga people is evident enough that as long as all the groups are united and true to the cause the public will always support for a peaceful and a logical end to the decades old Indo-Naga political problem.
