Witoubou Newmai
The prevailing situation of the Nagas is close to the core content of Jared Diamond’s book, ‘Collapse: How societies choose to fail or survive/succeed’.
Whether to survive or to fail, the choice is for the Naga people and its organizations. Do we choose to recommit to the main discourse of the Naga people or, do we need some examining?
In the heart of Diamond’s argument lies an anecdote of how sophisticated societies from time to time collapse utterly when they fail to recognize the signs of time and adapt accordingly.
One illustration he used is of the Norse, who once occupied and lorded over Greenland for 500 years. One review puts it succinctly on how their civilization vanished: “As devout Christians, when times got tough, the Norse glorified God by cutting the food and defense budgets to fund the cathedral-building budget. And since they had nothing but scorn for the tribal Inuit, they refused to learn from them how to adapt to colder weather and dwindling resources.”
It is noteworthy to underline the consequences to a society when there is widespread popular discontent of the grassroots against their organizations or leaders. Examples of such situation abound in many parts of the world. Many falter and disappear, while other recognise the malady, and figure out ways to adapt around them and gradually recover to prosper.
Thus, the foremost task in the Naga context is to examine if there exists any sort of disconnect between the organizations and the grassroots; the former, thus, will have to do a reality check.
Engaging in everyday affairs and exhibiting innovative and imaginative leadership quality should not be undermined. It is an important drive in sustaining a movement. This does call for further probe and our society cannot afford to shy away from it.
When leaders and organizations leading any movement go only by rhetoric and tom-tom in their ‘course of action’, the result leads to discontent. It is suggested that we go beyond rhetoric and cherry pick only inclusive approaches. This can help garner necessary support for a movement to meet its end goal of a better and more progressive state.
When people at the grassroots are not convinced, the situation will open the floodgates of discontentment. Such trend, perhaps, will also become a threat to the relevancy of any organization at the forefront leading an important movement.
What is a movement if it fails to empower the mass and stay aloof of the social goals? No goal can be achieved when collective efforts take a back seat. When left unattended for too long, a next level of negativity can inch by inch leave them detached.
No matter how high or sophisticated a diplomatic measure is, it is crucial that the grassroots are made party to the plans and programs.
While much responsibilities are thrust upon the organizations, the popular mass should also take note that an alert and conscious society is hard to be piggy-backed. Thus, every segment of society has a role to play, a constructive and productive one at that.
