Witoubou Newmai
Political chicanery thrives in a ‘discourse’ when the people engaging in the ‘discourse’ failed to connect themselves with the core purpose or the core reason of the ‘discourse’. In simple words, competing oligarchies overwhelm a given situation due to lack of allegiance to the ‘discourse’ or ‘people’s journey.’ Such is a disease or a situation, which has been “taken over from within” by employers of subterfuge, which needs to be treated inside-out rather than embalming it cosmetically.
As such, the calls for ‘unity,’ ‘healing’ and ‘reconciliation,’ unless there are required ‘materials’ to support them, will fail to permeate and stimulate the people. Getting connected to the core reason or purpose of the ‘discourse’ and allegiance to the ‘people’s journey’ are required ‘fervours,’ without which, this grotesque situation will find it difficult to absorb the calls for ‘unity’, ‘healing’ and ‘reconciliation.’
In any given discourse, loss of allegiance or connection to the core purpose of the ‘discourse,’ on the flip side, will intensely restructure the situation to such an extent as in the case of the fake mother who did not contest the ruling of King Solomon to cut the baby in two halves. The case of the other woman, the true mother, connotes that allegiance or getting connected to the core purpose of the discourse will also means sacrifice. Such is also a case of a ‘test.’ Without withstanding to the ‘test,’ we cannot have our ‘testimony.’
Coming specifically to the ‘Naga discourse,’ as we continue to bear witness to tribal groups, organisations, leaders and regions being projected larger than the core aspiration itself or the inability of our people to distinguish between organisations/leaders and the aspiration, one thing seems to be just standing before the society. This is the ‘package’ or ‘convenience’ over justice.
Coming to this stage of discussion, we need to make relevant the speech of Aung San Suu Kyi ‘for us’, which was delivered on December 3, 1988 on the National Day of Burma.
“If you ask whether we shall achieve democracy, whether there will be general elections, here is what I shall say: Don’t think about whether or not these things will happen. Just continue to do what you believe is right. Later on the fruits of what you do will become apparent on their own. One’s responsibility is to do the right thing.”
The other concern about the ‘Naga discourse’ is on the generation gap, as in the case of weeping ‘older priests and Levites’ and the shout-of-joy younger ones in the book of Ezra (The Bible’s Old Testament). This generation gap can also become a stultifying factor for the ‘all-onboard-journey’.
The ‘old priests and Levites,’ “who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple (the second temple) was laid before their eyes: the older men knew that this temple (the second one) would never match up to the glory of the first temple…after all, King Solomon spent huge amount on building the first temple” (Enduringword.com).
Given this tedious and monotonous thought just discussed, it is time to locate the chord that can help re-connect us to the core purpose of the ‘Naga discourse’.
