To be truly secure, Nagas need to critically look at the way we are constructing the future and dealing with the past. This has become the decisive factor at this point of history. More than others, it’s about us and how we as a people are engaging with the different facets of human life. There is a greater need for self-awareness. Nagas need an integrated, inclusive and hopeful vision of human security that focuses on long term interest, while addressing immediate needs. At this point, no amount of rhetoric or public relations can conceal the reality that we are in the midst of a deepening crisis, which is threatening the future.
The issues before us are more than just political. It involves every aspect of life that determines the well being of an individual. It would therefore be wrong for one to assume that everything would be alright, once a people achieve their independence. In fact it is possible that the problems and challenges would only be further compounded. Nonetheless, the issues of independence are essential for a people to take effective ownership of their wellbeing; and freely determine the course of their destiny by utilizing their resources in the way they know best.
Therefore, if we are to truly engage in the making and building of our society, we must commit ourselves in overcoming patronizing politics. The need to start from the ground-up is essentially fundamental. To this end, the powers that be must ensure that they do not corrupt the value system of the grassroots through coercive or seductive means. As long as coercion and seduction fuel the fires of patronizing politics, we will not succeed in ridding our society of corruption and abuse of power. The democratic values of accountability and transparency will be a far cry, while democratic participation will become a mockery.
Nagas must accept that the problems of production has not been resolved the world over, and therefore one cannot simply assume that the problems of production has been addressed in our situation. There is a dire need for people to come together and evolve an economic and development policy which comprehensively addresses these faultline, while drawing up a pragmatic plan that will genuinely improve lives of people. The practice of blindly supporting policies – just because they are our kin – must be discouraged and ultimately made illegal. One cannot support an agenda in which the riche are accumulating more and more wealth, while the poor are getting poorer and slowly losing their ownership to decide what is best for them.
This raises the question of governance and the structures that affects its implementation. As must as one dislikes engaging in the exhausting and daunting task of questioning the structures of governance, this confrontation is inevitable if we are to wish for a better life. It was Tidwell, who observed that the link between theory and practice lies in the structure. His insight could not have been more true. Generally, we Nagas have the tendency of personalizing issues to the extreme, so much so that the objective is lost. There are sufficient instances when people in power have been replaced by new faces, only to find out that the new one is no better. Therefore unless we transform the structures of governance, our hopes for change remains belied.
In the final analysis we have no other option but to learn to understand one another and find a collaborative way in constructing our future.
