By Joel Naga | EMN
Pray, Fast, Threaten. Pray, Fast, PREY. Pray, Fast, Spew Venom. Rev. SeksimKasar, of the Council of Nagalim Churches (CNC) of the NSCN (IM) has the world’s toughest job. To begin with, the NSCN-IM will go to any extend to mislead , including carefully ‘planting’ news in the Times of India, that, it is fasting for its ‘sins’ thereby giving the impression that it has asked forgiveness from the Naga people and received one. And so it goes…Pray, Fast, deceive. It is interesting that the MIP, NSCN (IM) has taken the moral high ground accusing Khekiye K. Sema, IAS (Retd) of inciting civil war and shooting from the ACAUT’s shoulder. No, the retired government servant shot from his own hip and it’s the IM, which will possibly bring destruction and mayhem, not Khekiye K. Sema, not the ACAUT. My bosom friend Khekiye K. Sema has been simply expressing the sentiment of the Naga people, that, the IM should NOT conclude the Naga Talks without the other NNPGs, period. He has only pointed out your hypocrisy- you, who, fast and pray but cannot reconcile with your fellow factional leaders; you, who rant and pontificate about your sacrifices, but cannot see the sacrifices of others and I stand with him.
You accuse us of perfidy, having accepted Honorarium in lakhs from the government. Remember, the HPC was constituted to investigate the syndicate system and all the extortions in Nagaland started by you, the IM, under the garb of national TAX. We were paid what was rightfully due to us for 6 months of our service. But what about the NSCN (IM)? Why don’t you tell the Naga people who your bed-fellows are? Have you ever confessed during your ‘national prayer’ days, before the God you love to prostrate, that a certain PDS kingpin or the fuel adulteration kingpins are your bosom buddies as well? That you’re also directly involved in siphoning of rice, kerosene or sugar meant for your own people? Shouldn’t it prick your conscience that there’re no bridges or roads or government buildings in Nagaland which haven’t fallen prey to your greed? You mock at the Garage Union, Thela Union, DCCI, Autorickshaw Union, etc., for supporting the ACAUT. You’re a pharisaic lot! Should I tell you not to mock the hand that feeds you? When the IM forcibly taxes and receives Rs. 35, 000, 00/- (thirty-five lakhs) per year from the Garage Union, is it in your ‘national interest’ to mock these unions? Not only are you hypocrites, but ungrateful as well. Your ‘national sins’ will run into thousands of pages if the ‘sins’ are brought before a Court of Law, but do Pray and Fast hard that the GoI should wipe your slate clean to allow you to begin your life afresh.
Corruption and the unresolved Naga political problem are two sides of the same coin. Unless, the Naga issue is resolved, corruption cannot be tackled because the politicians, the bureaucrats and all the ‘national workers’ are involved in the enterprise to loot the state. Even otherwise, the urgency to settle the Naga issue once and for all is paramount, through an inclusive solution, and this means bringing all the warring factions onboard. So, is it a NATIONAL crime to demand an INCLUSIVE SOLUTION? Is it ANTI-NAGA to demand peace and security of life? Can the IM define what ANTI-NAGA is in the first place since according to it, the ACAUT, Thepfulhouvi Solo, Khekiye K. Sema, etc., are all anti-Nagas? Hint: Probably you have to first define what NAGA is in order to explain the ANTI of IT.
What is the IM Afraid Of? Instead of accusing Khekiye K. Sema of inciting civil war, can the IM guarantee the Naga people that there’ll be no retributions? Can the IM guarantee a time-frame for settlement of the Naga issue? Is it possible for Th. Muivah, the leader himself, to sit down with Nagas, Young and Old, and explain his present position or predicament if any? At the end, the question before everyone of us is; If the IM is not able to settle the Naga issue- an issue it thinks it’s only qualified to handle like the way some organizational presidents cling on to their chairs- how should Nagas judge the IM? Does the IM have an answer to all these? No, it doesn’t and for the first time in its existence, the NSCN (IM) is unsure of itself. Simply put, it cannot answer itself and it is AFRAID. It hasn’t helped that in the last 20 years, the IM has at best indulged in rhetoric, one after the other, and at worst, deception, so the question of going back to the people does not arise (the deception of pride). Maybe finding scapegoats in Khekiye K. Sema and the ACAUT is the better option….
Last, but not the least, the great NSCN (IM) should desist from throwing the name ‘Joel Rengma’ around as if I’m another of their ‘rubber stamps.’ I see no reason why they should forcibly place ‘Rengma’ after my name when I have never used this surname at any point in my life unless the intent is to insult or belittle my heritage.
