“A nation is strong when it cares for the weak. It becomes rich when it cares for the poor. It becomes invulnerable when it cares about the vulnerable. That is what makes a great nation.” — Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Why has the issue of Frontier Nagaland Territory come up? Are our Eastern brothers selfish? Are they less patriotic? Are they less concerned about our Naga family?
In my view, none of these perceptions are true. On the contrary, Eastern brothers have reposed their trust, hope, and faith in the rest of us Nagas. They have contributed and sacrificed their best unconditionally for the greater good. Unfortunately, it is because of the wrongdoings of our so-called leaders that we are no longer worthy of their trust.
The current leaders ruling Nagaland have demonstrated their corrupt intentions through their neglect of the weaker and vulnerable sections of our society, particularly those living in Eastern Nagaland. Their only interest has been in holding festivals, creating gardens, resorts, or hotels for the pleasure seekers.
When Nagaland had no money and suffered from various atrocities, Nagas were united and strong. Without hesitation, the founder of the Naga movement for independence and the first Naga National Council president, T. Aliba Imti, boycotted Indian Independence Day. His successor, Visar Angami, the 2nd president, followed in his footsteps and never worked for personal gain. The legendary Mhondamo Kithan, the 3rd president, never got rich and fully dedicated himself to the Naga people.
Following the example of these great pioneers, Angami Zapu Phizo never built a house he could call home. History tells us how Phizo traveled on foot to Naga villages, even reaching unimaginable places. T. Aliba Ao and his successors never extorted money to buy cars or build buildings. They did not acquire land or property in the name of Naga nationalism but instead gave what they inherited from their ancestors. Were it not for these people, I don’t know where we would be today. But for these pioneers, would the Nagas have ended up under the tutelage of Assam — like the Karbi, Kachari, Ahom, and others?
After learning our mentality, India has understood perfectly well how to deal with us. It has poured in vast amounts of money and continues to pour more. Most of our politicians, bureaucrats, contractors, and underground factions are bent on cheating, looting, and extorting money. The Churches, on their part, accept all forms of tainted money that come into their donation box, thereby encouraging the wrongdoers to wash their guilt. Many bureaucrats have built grand homes and come to Church to serve and praise the Lord, expecting exoneration for the money they have looted and donated.
Today, our greatest enemy is none other than our own people. We need freedom from the greed of our own people and the nexus of abetment they provide to our corrupt leaders.
The famous Nobel Peace Prize laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum said, “Without strong watchdog institutions, impunity becomes the very foundation upon which systems of corruption are built.”
Nagaland’s government is an opposition-less government. It has no watchdog to point out right from wrong. All are hand in glove and equally to blame for the wrong things happening to us. Speaking of corruption, I am reminded of what actress Jennifer Lawrence said, “We need to tell each other our stories, we need to show that everyone—our neighbors, our families, our community leaders, everyone we know—is touched by the corruption.”
Nagaland communities are acutely conscious of the need to protect their lands and biodiversity, and in several areas, we are seeing remarkable community conservation efforts. The problem lies with our government. We must find a way to prevent the government from destroying our forests. Whenever a proposal comes from Delhi, our government blindly agrees to anything, without applying their minds.
Currently, there is a huge controversy around Naga-Ki or the proposed Global City, where the Nagaland Government is doing its best to buy land from the farmers at an unacceptable rate, leading them to refuse to sell. Unfortunately, many unexpected individuals are joining hands with the administration to pressure landowners into accepting prices fixed by the government. The government notification is confusing, lacks transparency, and fails to take landowners into confidence. That the Government has conceived a plan to replace its most fertile fields to construct a city is not only appalling but also speaks volumes about its lack of concern for basic needs such as food security and essential infrastructure like roads, which are in ruins.
The State’s mindless ‘development’ projects are pushing communities toward a precipice of instability, along with the loss of property and life. The young fold mountains with their soft, loose soil are being subjected to unprecedented road cutting and dynamiting to facilitate four-lane highways, with contracts awarded to non-local companies unfamiliar with the geological topography of these hilly areas. In recent weeks, the Dimapur to Kohima road, which serves as the lifeline for goods supply to interior hill areas and Manipur, has come to a virtual standstill due to landslides. Though now reopened for some large vehicles, it still poses great risks as rocks continue to fall from the dynamite-shaken mountains. The problem of unstable, sinking areas is being reported across Nagaland’s interior districts as well.
The push for oil palm plantations, with promises of huge subsidies, has lured many communities in foothill areas like Peren, Niuland, Mon, and Wokha, who are unaware of its hazards, such as soil fertility depletion, groundwater loss, and the erosion of community ownership rights. Evidence from South East Asia and neighboring states like Mizoram strongly suggests that once-proud landowners have become plantation laborers working for companies that renege on their promises. However, our government persists in promoting oil palm plantations at Delhi’s behest. Its entry into Nagaland signals the death knell for our rich biodiversity, one of the few remaining hotspots on the planet.
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We are left with more doubts than reassurances, more questions than answers. Whose benefit is the Government pushing these schemes for, when facts and evidence of their adverse effects abound? Why is the Government in such a hurry to build a city when citizens of the state are suffering due to a lack of proper alternative roads connecting the administrative capital Kohima and the commercial hub Dimapur?
That said, the lingering question remains: “Is the Government of the day a threat to Nagaland?”
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect EastMojo’s position.
Also Read | Without unity among each other, can Nagas truly talk about independence?