‘There can be business in times of chaos’

Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, MAY 16 Contrary to what the state’s policy makers have been telling us for years, the notion that business activities – and by extension economic prosperity – in the state could be achieved only when there is social and political peace is a misplaced one, according to Naga entrepreneurs. “There can be business in times of chaos. If we are going to believe that there will be economic opportunities only when we have peace, then I think we are going to be rudely awakened,” said Neichute Duolo, the Chief Executive Officer of Entrepreneurs Associates, while participating in a panel discussion here today in Dimapur. The panel discussion, organized by Peace Coalition of Northeast India, was on “fostering economic opportunities for building peaceful society through promoting dignity of labor and entrepreneurial skills.” Neichute Duolo, along with Tia Longchar from Business Association of Nagas, was briefed to speak on “challenges faced by youth vis-à-vis economic opportunities and peace building.” Duolo pointed out that peace, in the context of the Indo-Naga political dialogue, is something “we are not going to have anytime soon.” For Delhi, he said, peace means complete surrender of the Naga armed groups while for Nagas, peace means sovereignty and absence of all occupational forces. “Are we to say that there cannot be business without peace? We have to understand where we are. We have to plan in the midst of violence. It is sad but true. Because, be it with or without violence we must learn to do business,” he said. According to Duolu, who began his business career by selling newspapers and now heads the group that recently bought a Jamshedpur based financial house, we are not limited by our ecosystem but by our attitude. Even in the midst of violence, he shared, “we can still show that we can grow our vegetables or rear our pigs.” The absence of zeal among the Naga youths to grab economic opportunities is just as confounding as it is “fascinating”, he felt. He traced the cause of the problem to lack of patience among the Naga youths. “It takes minimum ten years to succeed in business. But our youths want instant success. There is no instant success, only instant coffee.” Fellow panelist and entrepreneur, Tia Longchar shared similar sentiments. He used Tagore’s famous metaphor of narrow domestic walls to compare the collective Naga mindset today. “We need to change our mindset. To edify our strength and not take advantage of each other’s weaknesses,” he shared. Another panelist, K Ela of Prodigals’ Home was briefed to speak on “dignity of labor, entrepreneurial skills and economic opportunities.” She was also unequivocal in stating that Nagas must do away with their present mindset by “unlearning and relearning.” “We have already stereotyped jobs/works. There is no dignity,” she shared while adding that the parents are mostly to be blamed for the attitude of the youths. Nagas have become so lazy that, according to Ela, “even if we get jobs, we just don’t work!” The panel discussion was followed by a group interaction, moderated by Rev Fr CP Anto, director of Peace Channel. Prior to the panel discussion, the deputy commissioner of Dimapur, Kesonyu Yhome, delivered a brief exhortation.