Benito Z. Swu
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]lease allow me to be very practical and objective. Had Rio not happened to Nagaland, the perspective and the outlook of Nagas as a people desirous of even attaining the greater goal of self determination would surely have stagnated. Stagnation alone is harmless, but it would have precipitated problems, big problems for the Nagas. Being free as such of any higher authority or command coming on the way, Rio was able to present to mainland India and the world in general that there is a small mountainous speck of land in India, a part of the chicken head in its North-East, inhabited by people or better to be precise, tribals of very distinct and varied diversity with deep rooted conviction of the Christian faith, which many say is unparalleled to even of those to the advanced Christian world. Rio has succeeded within such so short a period of time that there is much more to and of the Nagas than that meets the eye.Today we have a Chief Minister in TR Zeliang who, with his exceptional experience as a dynamic leader cannot be equated with the other Chief Ministers of National Parties in India, many of whom learns on the job only after landing up on the chair. The vast experience of Rio as a multi faceted personality even much before heading the helms of the state affairs for more than a decade, always there to usher in political wisdom to the dynamic mentality and capability of TRZ can have no alternative if Nagas are to prosper. It is our sincere dedicated prayer that no differences of any kind, big or small, black or blue should come in between the two cool heads, as we proceed ahead, one day at a time, to what The Almighty has planned ahead in the future for the Nagas.
It is not just co-incidence that it was during Rio’s tenure when the Historians of the world after not much deliberation came to a meeting point and hence the conclusion that the “Battle of Kohima” was the turning point, the one single important factor that decided the outcome of the second World War. Without the expense of even a penny, the good Lord, through the medium of Rio and his government, saw to it that the advertisement of Nagaland not just as a virgin tourist destination but more importantly a historical destination was made known to the world. How indebted will we be if we fail to recognize and thank God for the wonder of this miracle? It is by Grace and not the works. It surely is a sign that if we trust God every single individual Naga will be enlightened and benefitted. It is a sign of the times that if we do not forget to count our blessings, the future of our children and their children too will be insured and secured.
Many of us, we Nagas and very much me included, criticize for the sake of criticizing and oppose for the sake of opposing, but turns a nelson eye to the positives, without any inputs to course direction. We allow the weeds of negativism to seep through our social and even our private mind frames thereby hurting nobody but ourselves. I cannot say about others but I know I am in dire need of that silent communication with our Lord for that wisdom which only come from and through Him. I guess it is but mandatory for a Christian individual to, from time to time, learn to put ourselves into the others shoe to refresh and reboot ourselves to positive thinking and living. The stupendous success of ‘self help’ books by “practicing what is being preached authors,” flying off the bookstore shelves especially in the Christian world is a very clear indication that people are very desirous of improving the quality of thinking and living as an individual in a society of like-minded people. We Nagas too must try to not be left behind in such thinking and living. Yes, it is another matter that in this IT world where we have seen the world change right in front of our eyes and underneath our nose - the change that has happened in a decade or two which has completely overshadowed the changes of thousands of years – reading and thinking has definitely taken the back seat in many of our lives.
We Nagas need to learn not just from History but even more important, the ground realities of today’s world. What is happening in the Arab world is a lesson we can overlook at our own risk and maybe even peril. Till date the death toll in the Syrian civil war is on the very brink of reaching the 200 thousand mark. Syria was and is ruled by a President who in real power terms is a dictator nobody likes in this time and age. Before the civil war to dislodge the President, Syrians led a comfortable easy life with so many civil and civic amenities which was not enjoyed by many democracies in the world. The minority Syrian Christians faced no discrimination and life was comfortable. But as the wind of change swept through the Arab world, Syria could never remain immune to it. People did participate in the fight for reforms which soon turned into the fight for democracy. America and Europe supported the wind of change but as of now have washed their hands. Syria is also going the Egypt way. Deposing the Dictator, President Hosni Mubarak by the mass-uprising, they elected the Muslim Brotherhood to power only to realize to their horror that Hosni Mubarak was an Angel compared to the Brotherhood. As for Syria, the writing is on the wall. With the fall of President Basher, the most radicalized form of Islam, the ISIS is waiting on the wings to achieve its aim of forming the Islamic caliphate of the medieval period. As compared with the ISIS, Osama-Bin-Laden’s Al-Qaida is looking more and more like a teddy bear’s tea party. Not only just the ordinary citizens of Syria but the democratic world today is now praying for the success and longetivity of President Basher.
Much too often we fail to appreciate and be thankful of what we have. Only after we lose it do we realize the value of what we have actually lost. For Nagas today, learning on the job is no more an option. It is the result oriented leadership and the selfless dedication and support for the leadership which is the need and cry of the hour. We can be optimistic with the very fact that inspite of pulls and pressure from various quarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, true to his earlier words seems to be having a mind of his own. Anyway it is early days and it is always good to think and speak good of others.
Twenty five years is a long time. Me and my generation have been living next door to Alice for at least the last 25 years hearing her cry for a few dollars more. In today’s time of Justins, Baibers, ladies and Gagas it may not be out of line for today’s youngsters to be sneering at me, but let me inform them that those days the cassette recorder was the only priced possession and as such to experience at a higher level of entertainment, all we needed to do was to listen over and over again to UFO’s “High Flier”. Oh! Those were the days. Sad.
Thank you Khriehu Liezietsu for bringing Alice to us and letting us again experience the joy of flying high. Let me also not forget to thank Rio for bringing Rio all the way from Brazil to our very own Kisama. Please do kindly accept my bucketfuls of accolades.
