Today, the Nagas are standing at a very volatile crossroad mired in an extremely complex political confusion. Instead of taking a clear headed honourable decision, the Apex Organizations are being influenced and swayed by self-perpetuating priorities and inclination rather than common interest. We need to pause awhile and honestly revaluate our circumstance for the good of all with malice towards none.
Since the time of the formation of NTC this author had been advocating the revival of Naga Hoho for the Nagas of Nagaland rather than form a new entity which can only lead to multiplying our problems than solving them. The Naga Hoho was originally constituted with the affiliation of all the 16 Tribal Hohos of Nagaland to effectively address various internal issues involving the Nagas of Nagaland. Diluting this original objective and expanding beyond that geographical boundary to include Nagas belonging to other States was an unwise departure. At the face value it may sound uncharitable when sentiment of exclusivity is expressed...but it is incumbent upon the Nagas of Nagaland to make a logical distinction between the need to tackle our own internal kitchen problems by our own federated Tribal apex body rather than pass that responsibility to an 'out of place' ineffective Pan Naga infrastructure wrongly referred to as Naga Hoho.
By circumstantial destiny the Nagas are presently dispersed widely in various States. Be that as it may, there is no denying the need for a common platform for nurturing cultural and emotional integration and where our common interest such as 'integration of all the Naga inhabited areas under one administrative umbrella' can effectively be expressed and collective momentum generated. However, the present Naga Hoho must necessarily be renamed more appropriately as a "Pan Naga Hoho" rather than usurp the nomenclature of 'Naga Hoho', resulting in silencing the much needed distinctive voice of the Nagas of Nagaland to the advantage of vested interests. This simple change of correctly defined nomenclature (Pan Naga Hoho) does not destabilise the existing organisation in any way. Everything will remain the same in terms of representation and defined responsibility within the Pan Naga Hoho. Take the example of our brothers in the South: they rightly have a strong apex organization known as the UNC which independently voices and addresses their common interests ferociously even as an affiliate of the present 'Naga Hoho'. One fails to understand the lack of honourable pride or wisdom within the Nagas of Nagaland in not being able to perceive the simple logic of salvaging "Naga Hoho", which originally belonged to us anyway and in the like manner of UNC in the South be empowered to address our own internal issues independently. The present existing status of the Nagas of Nagaland within Naga Hoho is that of a 'minority subject' reduced to the will of the Tribal majority from other States...needing their endorsement even for a mundane matter of how much salt, axone and chilli can be put into our cooking pot within our own kitchen. It only generates a counterproductive purpose when it comes to local issues and should therefore be overhauled. Take the events that transpired in the unfortunate Mukalimi incident. The Naga Hoho in its present form was a helpless spectator devoid of any practical influence over the highly agitated Sumis community. The Sumis took this event strictly as a local matter concerning their collective Tribal honour. The constituent majority of Nagas Hoho from Manipur, Arunachal or Assam, no matter how well-meaning their intent, would have commanded no respect from the Sumi community in a high voltage atmosphere and would have been shown the door if they had interfered it the proceeding. On the other hand, the outcome might have been entirely different had the Naga Hoho been an exclusive Apex body of the Nagas of Nagaland. The Sumi community would have respected and listened to the reconciliatory words of wisdom from our own home grown Naga Hoho, no matter how charged the emotion, for a simple reason that the Sumis knows that they have to continue to live side by side with their counterpart brothers from Nagaland long after the incident blows over. That is the gigantic difference between the present Naga Hoho and our home grown Naga Hoho that is being advocated.
This brings us to the event of a recent past. CNTC has made its stand of withdrawal from the Naga Hoho amply clear. The Sumi Hoho has rightly taken a bolder step to officially announce its dissociation with the Naga Hoho in its present form. This is an opportune time for APO, Lotha Hoho, Ao Senden and Sumi Hoho to collectively initiate a brainstorming session with all the other Tribal Hohos of Nagaland including all the constituent members of ENPO and see how each Tribal Hoho react to the proposition of initiating a change of nomenclature of the present Naga Hoho to that of "Pan Naga Hoho" and reclaiming Naga Hoho that rightly belongs to the Nagas of Nagaland to re-establish the much needed voice of our own...that we do not have at this critical time of History. NTC may also not be too averse to such an exercise being had and should perhaps be coordinated with seriously if the above suggested initiative finds favour.
Khekiye K. Sema IAS (Rtd); Upper Forest Colony, Kohima
