Lessons to learn from the Ralan conflict

Jonah Achumi, Dimapur [dropcap]T[/dropcap]he recent border clash and skirmish in the Assam-Nagaland border of Ralan area should be an eye-opener for all the Naga tribes irrespective of whose border our land falls with. The Adivasis who were cultivating the lands of the Kyong Nagas started claiming as their own with the back-up of Assam government. Subsequently they started arming themselves with the help of their insurgent groups and an obvious clash that was bound to happen sooner or later happened. Today it occurred in a border area of Nagaland, but not very long from now it may happen here inside our own Naga heartland because as numbers increase so do the boldness and the might of illegal immigrants. Does our tolerant and docile nature give way to all these obvious risings, spate of crimes around us which are unfortunate but expected? Surely our forgiving and hospitable nature been taken for granted otherwise it never would have been happening in reality. We have pondered way too long, thinkers have thought about it for a long time, writers too are now becoming exhausted trying to wake up our own ‘ Rip Van Winkles ’ who slept for twenty years and when he woke up he could not remember where he was ,where his children were or even who he himself was. Or have we become like the Ostrich who bury its own head under the sand when some imminent danger approaches wishing it would go away? But it just doesn’t. And a storm surely is approaching our heartland which is not very long from now. Blame it on our complacency.Why do we always think that whenever an issue about chasing away illegal immigrants from our land comes up who will cultivate the land? Landlords and leaders become fiercely protective little knowing what ramifications in future it will lead us in to. Questions like , who will work for us? What are we going to eat? Who will look after our fields? Now look at USA, for instance. Only 3 percent of their population are engaged in the agricultural sector but is feeding the rest 97 percent and with their high productivity and a sustainable agriculture the surplus is exported to the rest of the world. Same is the case of many other European countries like Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden etc. Even in our Asian countries like Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand etc. they use modern technology of production like genetically modified seeds and high-yielding varieties and have surplus to export all over the world. Nearly 70 percent of the population in our state is engaged in the agricultural sector but we still cannot even produce enough for ourselves. What our dear farmers produces, we share, some we consume and the rest we sale away to some traders who buy it a very cheap price. The same rice are mixed, polished and packed in sacks with some top-branded sealed rice and sold to us in a price whatever they want to fix in the godowns and land belonging to our own Nagas. Thanks to the administration, it has been almost two years since no prices essential commodities has been published. Wish they do soon before someone files an RTI or a PIL. Wish our power-tillers and tractors are not allotted to only some high profile figures and politically connected people which many ends up in our neighboring states but our own Naga farmers who wants to cultivate and till their own soil cannot avail and are deprived of such facilities. Wish our Agri and allied departments take the extra burdens of creating awareness in enlightening our landlords and leaders though the department has been doing many commendable and laudable jobs till date. What happened in Ralan will be repeated again even if necessary measures and provisions are taken by both state governments unless we Nagas start imbibing our ancestral work culture blending with modern technology and occupy our own lands without giving to others ,be it for cultivation or any other purpose. As our neighbour Manipur is now strongly agitating for the implementing of ILP in their state, fleeing ILP defaulters will start swarming here in our ever welcoming and free for all Dimapur which is the city of El-dorado for those hobos and gypsies Dimapur beckons. Wish our Naga Mothers also learn from the much fearsome and influential Meira Paibis. The Arab and the Camel fable is bound to happen anytime, be prepared for it.