My reply to the News item “Naga’s ‘War’, Truce and Communalism” which was published in the Sentinel (Guwahati based) on the 28th of April 2007
It was an unfortunate surprise going through the Sentinel English daily this morning, since the anchor story (main news item in the bottom of Front Page), where a Guwahati based journalist had misconstrued and without any investigation from local sources for actual facts and figures (i.e. local English dailies), published the news regarding the recent Wungram incident. The most unfortunate thing was that the Editor had allowed it to publish it, that too in the front page as an “anchor story”, which to us people in the media is the most important piece/section of the front page.
Such distortion of facts should never have been entertained in the first place, but this just shows what the people of Assam think of us. Firstly he had mentioned that a dozen houses were set ablaze, 19 vehicles were torched plus a scooter, some hard cash currency notes and a Kalashnikov rifle. The latter two may be a fact but to my knowledge not 19 vehicles. I sincerely wonder where he got the facts from. The most damaging was that he had contributed the whole incident to tribalism between Sumis and Tangkhuls. For those Nagas living outside Nagaland will be easily misled by such irresponsible utterances, hence the writer should not involve himself in such cheap publicity, just to earn of few ados from his Editor, before he has destroyed the reconciliation move, which had taken years to achieve, in just one day. He also connected (without any basis) the incident to factional clash between (IM) and (K), which is for those who were eye witnesses – “a big joke.”
I cannot understand why he has targeted the Sumi tribe, which is very unfortunate, for it is mostly the Sumis (both in IM and K) who have kept the torch of our sovereignty burning. Yes other tribes have also contributed much, but not as much as this tribe, plus if I was a Sumi, I would be blamed for being biased, but I speak as a person from another tribe. (The truth is, that day there were individuals from different tribes; thus targeting only one tribe is wrong).
For most of us Naga people, it is not an issue on who is speaking to Delhi on our behalf, for be it IM or K, the ultimate goal is the same, which is long-lasting peace and an end to bloodshed and violence. What irritated me most was the mentioning of Nagaland as a 90 percent Christian State, but still there is still enmity and violence. In one clean sweep he has not only attacked the tribalism issue, but also factions and Christianity.
Nagas may have a history of violence and bloodshed plus political blunders but one thing we never had or will ever have is “Communal Clash.” The writer should realize that there can never be communalism in Nagaland, for we follow the same religion. Nor do we have the caste system, for, to a Naga, every other Naga is the same – a Naga. The only difference may be difference in political ideologies and official hierarchy, but when election comes, even that too does not matter. E.g., I may be a peon or a sweeper or a driver in an office at Kohima or Dimapur, but back in my village I may be somebody important. So my argument is, how can communalism ever enter our society, our politics and our factions? This (the news item by Wasbir Hussain of the Sentinel) is downright an insult to our intelligence, for we Nagas are not the naive, uneducated, easily misled society anymore. We have developed in every field, be it in infrastructure or education and our mindset. Every Naga thinks differently as per his belief and ideologies and till today I have not come across any Naga who let others think for him.
In conclusion, writers, who do not have an inkling of ethics and responsibility, and their only target being the news items so as to sell their paper, should not be entertained or welcomed into our land. Since he is from outside the State, he thinks he can get away with such misleading news items, but there is a God, who we all pray to, and he will answer to Him, if not today – one day, when his time comes. Let us never let our focus be diverted but hang on in our beliefs and what our fathers started. Before, a Naga was a Naga, not an Ao, Sumi, Lotha, Angami or whatever, but it is only due to such import of misconstrued facts that has done the damage, but I say, there is still time to rectify our mistakes and prove Indians with such mentalities wrong.
Kedi Haralu
(Also forwarded to the Editor, Sentinel, Guwahati, Assam)
