Abdul Basit a shoe-seller, in New Market Dimapur, the man whose vitriolic words to a Naga pastor customer “we don’t beat, we kill” has set off a chain of reaction in the state to a latent unaddressed issue in a most unsafe fashion.
This does not for a moment suggest that such utterances should be ignored or left alone as a stray incident. Basit’s words indeed rankle and any individual worth his salt would be and should feel assaulted and insulted. But what is worrying is the emergence of a groundswell pinned on this one incident. Before the words get any angrier and spiteful our actions and mindset more aggressive towards the abbreviated IBI’s (Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrant) there will be many areas which we Nagas will have to consider and concede to. Which ones we should first is a matter of debate. But address we must, perhaps with a multi prong approach. Emotions and feelings are like waves which change with the tide and likewise our words and reactions are likely too. Wise men don’t react in an emotional state they do with reason and rationality which requires stability and clarity of thought.
The issue with Abdul Basit to my mind is symptomatic of our collective indifference to our character development. We view ourselves ...lords and masters over our land and believe that is how the equation will remain into eternity.
In all these years of our troubled political history as a people we have only remained united in one dream of a ‘sovereign’ Naga nation. Its often said of dreams that we should hold fast to dreams ... for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly’. But dreams by themselves don’t come true they need to be worked towards. That is where our individual action and contributions, small or big in every sphere of life social, economic and political makes up the collective whole.
It is often said of one the four elements ‘water’ will always find its way where there is room for it.
As long as there is need for the services that the alleged IBI’s bring with them they will continue to live in Nagaland and any other part of the world. When the glass is half full it is also half empty ... in other words there is still opportunity.
Can any Naga in Nagaland deny that at some point or other the services of ‘non-nagas’ have been sought out over that of ‘local Nagas’? Why?
Who today provide us with extra hands in the homesteads and our farms and fields in the plain areas and in the hills? Who works at the construction sites, or as rickshaw pullers, auto drivers, mechanics, shop keepers, plumbers, electricians, paanwallas, gardeners, vegetable and fish vendors, fruit sellers, provision stores, garment sellers, tailors,( tailors who embroider Naga motifs on out famous/infamous Naga waist coats) craftsmen ( many who learnt to make the Naga spears and daos) ... the list is endless. Where were we?
Can we simply put down this slow invasion to our ‘friendly’ nature? If not, it’s time that like the Micael Jackson number we stop to take a look at the ‘Man in the Mirror’.
I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways (Better change!)
No message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
You can’t close your, your mind!
If you want to make NAGALAND a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
Can we stand in the gap that is there in our homefronts? Our workplaces, our towns, our villages our cities our schools and colleges and offices, and business.
Yes, we need the law to work to be implemented but one that is fair does not discriminate. We of all people should know what it is like to be discriminated against. We must guard ourselves against entering racial and religious differences to come to our defence to claim that we are right. We must also guard against ‘using’ people it is bound to boomerang. The government and the many local authorities that we have to govern us must step in the public debate that is being raised and yes, it time we get down to the bottom of the ‘perceived influx’.
Migration is a reality of any civilization or society in the world but arbitrary and illegal migration must be handled by the law. Any other means will spell disaster.
