Dimapur, Dec. 20: The December 15 ACAUT rally in Dimapur in which the police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the peaceful protesters against corruption has caught the attention of the Overseas Naga Association.
The association, in a release issued by its president Visier Sanyü and secretary general Paul Pimomo, expressed deep sadness and dismay over the incident.
“Sadness that in our own lifetime Nagas have changed from an egalitarian society to a disconnected two-class society composed of a small, powerful rich elite and a huge majority of struggling working families and villagers and dismay that Nagas in power would use force against their own people for peacefully protesting against corruption and injustice in our land,” the association stated.
The overseas Nagas also wondered as to how Nagas got to this point in our history. “From our noble struggle for self-respect and human rights to this moment of betrayal in which the normally opposed overground and underground elites have joined forces against the Naga people’s movement against corruption and unregulated taxation which have crippled progress. We wonder who else may be responsible for this since corruption of the proportion that exists in Nagaland requires an intricate network to succeed,” they stated.
According to them, the ACAUT and similar organisations must win for the sake of our society.
Wishing Merry Christmas to all back home, the overseas Nagas hoped that 2017 will bring new life to the people, a fresh resolve for integrity on the part of every leader and a renewed vigour on the part of the people to do so themselves and to make that happen in public life.