Whilst one appreciates the fast approaching dawning of a new era in and among the Eastern Nagaland at every level, one has to be mindful of the old adage "less haste more speed".
Those of us who have had the privilege of making a pilgrimage to the territory and touring extensively on foot in excess of 2500 kilometers are painfully aware of what terrible calamities have befallen you.
Aside from the fact that certain villages were almost wiped out by people from the Western Nagaland masquerading as national workers such as Thingniungan (311 dead) and Chukie (67 dead) respectively during Partition. The subject of an international film "The Nine Nagas" which takes it's title from Akira Kurasawa's 1954 film "The Seven Samurai". Whether it is a nation's plight against invasion and subsequent occupation or a village's plight with marauding bandits the story-line is wholly appropriate.
Eastern Nagas have been subjected to the worst deprivations it is humanly possible to imagine. Whilst the Burmese army have raped, burnt and butchered their way through your territory at seasonal intervals. While your western Naga counterparts can feed their children and their own bellies with their ill-gotten gains you have literally starved and been plagued with famine. With very few exceptions your brethren in the west have not shared basic humanitarian needs with you. We don't hear of even 10% generated from The Hornbill Festival being turned into basic medical necessities for your territory while your children die before your eyes from perfectly preventable diseases. The state government collaborators whose children are all in foreign universities with their looted dirty money will never give you a second glance. The churches have been struck blind to the concept of christian charity regards their eastern brethren.
As if adding insult to injury people such as Nephieu Rio and Ajit Duval have been rushing to Yangon and Burma to manipulate and negotiate over your heads. Mr Rio met with the Military Junta who occupies and ravages your land and the Delhi government sanctioned a paltry US$25,000 for so-called border development when he went in February 2014. This actually amounts to less than Rupees 1000 per eastern Naga village, but does ENPO or anyone for that matter know how and through who this was implemented if at all? In reality it would take a 20 Billion US$ to bring your territory even up to the half way point Nagaland State is at today.
Mr Doval the Indian Central Government's National Security Advisor is not a Dove he is a Hawk who's doctrine is based on the flawed solution of "Hot Pursuit". He is not a person to be trusted with regards the Eastern Nagaland and its future options. However, it is best that you do not have western Naga soldiers in your defense forces and do not operate beyond your own territory.
We know too that the British caused your political turmoil by illegally demarcating the so-called McMahon Line in 1914. Rest assured the ever pragmatic British will support Ms Suu Kyi and Burma when it emerges into fully fledged democracy as it does with India's hypocrisy. The West is after resources that you do not control and the moral high ground is immaterial to them when it can be sacrificed for trade. Ms Suu Kyi is no great friend to any of the "ethnic nationalities" let alone the Nagas, who she chooses to term as "minorities". You must know by now that it is a pointless and futile exercise to trust either the Indian or the Burman because they are separate entities.
Eastern Nagas are no more to be treated as second class citizens in their own land or "Sakhans" (head load porters) for outside national workers. Be very aware of the characters on your own border and ask them who is your father? Which village and tribe do you belong to, and last but not least, on who's authority and mandate do you speak? Whilst intentions and sentiments may be true they are unlikely to shoulder the burden with you and will reside far away in the west. Until they have marched the length and breadth of the Eastern Nagaland like Amotsu Phizo had done in the west they cannot know your suffering.
Do the western Nagas know the names of the tribes and villages of the Eastern Nagaland? They do not. They are shy to say sorry and many of their Pators have become impostors. You must take consensus with your neighboring village, tribe, region and nation before marching ahead as one people. There is no rush so less haste will bring more speed.
When a people come out of a very dark and depraved period of history they must take stock and be allowed to articulate what has happened to them. Unless this burden is released the pain will always be with you. If your own brethren from whom you were separated do not comprehend or understand then it is also pointless. In which case never the twain will meet or be one entity. Kuknalim
David P. Ward Edinburgh Scotland.
