Rev. Dr. Phuveyi Dozo
Naga United Village, Dimapur
We travel together on board to a destination. The same principle is not a postmortem but it stands alive always. It is rudimentary that the members of the house must sit down together and get its differences sorted out and dispute settled. There is a time for the family to hunt in different directions. But there is also a time for the members to return together, breathe together, formulate further strategy together and live together. The saying goes that ‘a tiger split two friendly bulls by throwing stone and devoured the two cows one by one’.
The Bible warns against a divided house. The division of a house becomes deadly and chronic. Treatment must be from within and not from outside. If the Nagas are one family, why is it difficult for us to come together and sit together to talk out? If the Naga solution is a common goal, why is it difficult to agree with each other on a modality? It is like a playing ground with players playing in different positions for a trophy which is for all players. To India, Ayodhya temple issue is more important than Indo-Naga solution. Naga national issue does not appear in Indian top headlines. We quarrel not knowing how significant or insignificant we are. Nagas should seriously learn who we are, unite together, set the house in order and live together.
Options for Peaceful Solution
We all pray a prayer of ‘God’s will be done’ but we speak out from human hearts and motivated perspective when we loose our tongues. We speak ‘honorable solution’ but we poison what we talk by blaming others. If we speak and do what we pray for, our Naga issue should have been over by now in the hand of the sovereign God. Can we expect Naga political solution to drop down from Heaven or from somewhere? God has given us a heart to make right decision. The journey began long back and it is time to cross the Red Sea. In this crucial moment we can contemplate and walk though a few models or options.
Option One: As Nagas, the desire of the Naga people is ‘the negotiators or political architects’ coming together, burying the difference, sitting down together, consolidating opinion together, and agreeing on a modality. Is it hard to do this as Christians? It is the healthiest model despite petty differences? The Nagas will congratulate such an upfront resolution.
Option Two: Nagas respect and listen to our elders. The Nagas will listen to them and yield to what sublime advice and wisdom they give us. Can we listen to the voice of our elders as the voice of God in a time such as this? They are the people who can bell the neck.
Option Three: Nagas are Christians. Christians must unite together under the name of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. Can the Nagas cooperate with the Body of churches and Christians and listen to what God will speak through the Church? Can we lay down our weapons of differences and small visions and expect what God will speak to us? Christian principle of a modality must be executed in “in the name of and for the sake of Jesus Christ”. The Church is called to rebuke and correct, and bring peace to the world.
Option Four : Will Nagas continue and remain unchanged with our original political goal of sovereignty? Or, are we ready to accept anything of three dimension of high, mid or below? Must we come to a conclusion that God has a destiny destined for us? ‘There is a time for everything’ the Bible says. Is that ‘time’ now or yet to happen?
Option five: Can we speculate that God should speak to us through some prophets concerning our political destiny like Isaiah or Ezekiel? But who are the prophets mathematically? Can there be a voice of harmony? And can there be a unanimous voice?
The case with Nagas is spiritual, historical, national and global issue. We must submit to the sovereign will of God who holds the keys of lasting peace and solution.
God bless Nagaland!
