The Nagaland Peace talks have been going on for a while now. Lot of speculations are making rounds about its outcome and the contents of the final peace agreement. The peaceful conduct of the election is a testimony of the people’s verdict on the need for peace, a clear indication of the weariness of the day to day affairs that I a common man suffers from. Corruption, extortion continues and the ignomy suffered by us is evident everywhere. I am in a state of affair in which right is projected as wrong, white as black, impacting the much required impetus to development in Nagaland.
Some groups are continuously taking extortion money for seeking creature comforts and easy money. The uncompromising and merciless collection of money / commission/fines (various fancy words are used to hide the real motive) upon us continues which I do not want to pay. It has numerous names and forms e.g. ‘ajungben saru’ - emergency collection, collected from every household in a village, protection money - collected from each truck passing through Kohima etc. These groups according to some reports makes over Rs. 500 Crore approx per annum through extortion and other means.
They have made the system weak so that the person or agency assigned to do a particular development work is barely left with any money to execute the actual contracted work after giving everybody’s cut. They do it by generating fear psychosis through threats, causing destruction of private and public property, targeting amenities meant for common man, extortion from unions, shopkeepers, illegal taxation etc… and all this to what end?
I am sickened by the conflict, corruption, extortion and lack of employment opportunities. It is leading, we the younger generations, taking recourse to may be substance abuse … further bringing our society on the verge of introspection.
Today, where do we stand in comparison to the other seven sister states? Almost all baring one odd exception are witnessing development at a rapid pace. Their tourism industry is flourishing and bringing them revenue. While, Nagaland continues to grapple with under developed road network, susceptible to frequent disruptions and the lack of agro technology that is required to propel our organic agrarian economy. Do these Factions really deserve such a share of our hard earned and honest money? How are we going to be on the path of progress, if we are not able to ensure the utilization of the money given to us for our development. If this continues … then we are surely going to miss the bus and continue to remain enclosed within the confines of under development. How long should I bear the brunt and becomes the silent sufferer.
Hukato Zhimo
Signal Basti, Dimapur
