Besesayo Kezo, IPS
Retd DGP
It is not an overstatement to say that there is no ‘Naga’ in Nagaland. They are just so many villagers and tribesmen prefixing with the word ‘Naga’ to their names. They are really emotionally not integrated. Their apparent physical unity is so superficial without any emotional bound. It cannot withstand against any strong storm. This is so remarkably evident when we happen to witness two ordinary Nagas from different villages or tribes fighting over a minor motor vehicle accident on the road or disputing over land boundaries or even arguing over matters of the most trivial nature, they can easily escalate to group fights between the two villages or tribes encouraged and instigated by the bystanders from the fellow villagers or tribesmen, each taking their respective sides blindly without reasoning. That is called ‘Naga unity’.
It is really a unique state in India which the non-Nagas don’t understand or refuse to appreciate. People merrily say and write that Nagaland is a ‘Christian State’ without knowing that ‘there is no naga church in Nagaland’ though there are many magnificent tribal church buildings comparable to some of the finest and best in their architectural designs, both quality and size, in the whole northeast region of India.
Similarly, ‘there is no Naga organisation’ in Nagaland. They are all village or tribal organisations deeply divided and suspicious of one another vying for supremacy. The umbrella organisations called ‘Naga organisations’ are simply representing those village and tribal interests. Those representatives to various Naga organisations pay allegiance to their respective village and tribe first, and then, to the Nagas second.
Besides that nobody can be directly elected to the highest decision making body of any Naga organisation without first going through his village or tribal organisation. They cannot do anything against the interests of their village or tribe. Accordingly, they have to sacrifice the interests of the Nagas for their respective villages and tribes. Thus, the call for Naga unity is often fallen flat or seen to be so farcical, sham, very shallow and not effective. No ordinary Naga can ever dare to call for Naga unity or work for the welfare of all the Nagas against the particular interests of his origin unless he is a man of exceptional charisma and possesses extraordinary leadership quality, blindly and solidly, backed by his villagers and tribesmen.
Since ‘there is no Naga’ in Nagaland, the state is composed of so many independently well-established villages on traditional patterns and loosely federated tribes inspired by modern ideas, uniquely and antagonistically, organised for competition and supremacy. This nature is also explicitly reflected in the new settlement areas occupied by Nagas. They prefer to live in separate segments isolated from strangers, with their own villagers or tribesmen only wherever they settle down either in cosmopolitan cities in India or towns in Nagaland. It may be due to both physical and psychological reasons. They don’t like to expose themselves to the risk of being suddenly attacked by their strange neighbours. Perhaps, their old spirit of headhunting traditions and sense of survival is still alive and actively working in their subconscious minds relentlessly.
Nevertheless sometimes many of them often talk unitedly against the ‘outsiders’, meaning the non-Nagas, who appear to be very different from them in many ways. But they are not able to take any collective action against them because of the tribal divisions. It seems most of them have not yet developed any other world view different from the traditional tribal insular mindset despite exposure to modern civilisation. They are still very suspicious and afraid to openly embrace the concept of the Indian nationalism lest they lose their typical identity as a ‘distinct people’ in the sea of humanity. These fears and apprehensions appear to be genuine and valid and they always draw a huge sympathetic crowd and warm response readily from the indigenous people. They don’t want to lose their political and cultural identity completely by merging with whom they consider as foreigners. This cautious approach to the ultra-nationalism from mainland is highly justifiable because it directly threatens their very identity without pretension.
Notwithstanding their sharp differences, broadly speaking, almost all the Nagas in Nagaland do feel the threat to their cultural and political identities and economic interests by the presence of overwhelming alien population and culture and their activities which may one day obliterate them completely from the place of their birth. This feeling of existential threat and suspicion is being exacerbated by the enormous demographic changes that have taken place in Dimapur and the continuing and unabated invasion by the non-Nagas into all important places and towns elsewhere in Nagaland, in varying degrees, cannot be easily ignored. Nor the monopoly and domination of the commercial activities and their syndicates unjustly organised by the outsiders in the state to the detriment of the indigenous businessmen be tolerated. Thus, only a strong political ideology based on preservation and protection of the identity of the indigenous people can instil confidence and security in their minds and allay the fear of being swamped by the outsiders.
In this way, a very strong regional political party is indispensable for the people of Nagaland and the integrity of India. It can mitigate and even remove the fear psychosis that always exists in the minds of many indigenous people and restore peaceful social order and harmony in the state.
The ordinary simple-minded Nagas have developed their political ideology based on being separate from the others for over a 100 (hundred) years (since 1918) and it won’t be easy for them to give it up without concrete physical and psychological assurances from the majority community and government of India. They need a regional political party which represents their special interests and aspirations, and, also protects and acts as a buttress against the unwanted influence, intrusion and interference from outsiders. They must have a political platform that can peacefully, freely, articulately and convincingly express and exchange their views and opinions on any contentious issue honourably to and with the people of India.
Accordingly, in order to maintain a politically healthy balance between the existing virulent centripetal and centrifugal elements in the state, there must be 2 (two) strong political parties in Nagaland for the good of the citizens, namely, national political party and regional political party. Their principles and objectives must be clearly and distinctively defined as per the desires, needs and political and social aspirations of the indigenous people so that they can easily identify with any one of them without any problem.
Once the politicians identify themselves with either of them, namely, national and regional, none of them should change colours without compelling reasons. Winston Churchill said, “Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of the party”. We wouldn’t really know who is for which. But the frequent change of party allegiance is a menace and it has been causing havoc to the stability of the state governments everywhere in India. Since the anti-defection law has failed miserably and become ineffective to prevent the political defections, it must be made socially very costly, embarrassing, disgraceful and difficult by the 2 (two) political parties in the state with diametrically opposite and irreconcilable political ideologies, one representing the nation, and, the other, the region, for the potential politician to defect at will. Perhaps, in this way, by social control, hopefully, we may develop politicians with better integrity, honesty and morality.
A very veteran Naga politician calls the professional political defectors as ‘political tourists’ with reasons. They are definitely psychotic, emotionally unstable and politically diseased people. They carry the germs of political instability with them whichever party they join and infect their friends and contacts. Nobody trusts them but in a highly volatile and emerging society like ours, very often, unfortunately, they hold the key to government formation. But every sensible citizen of Nagaland must expose and discourage this most unethical behaviour of the opportunist and spineless politicians both in our private discourses and public speeches and writings. The public representatives must behave with honour and a sense of responsibility and not for personal aggrandisement.
These political tourists are also ‘political merchants’. They deal in the sale and purchase of other politicians during all political crises. They act as touts and power brokers. They thrive on corrupt practices unabashedly and brazenly as a way of life. Their activities are one of the main causes for corruption and political immorality in Nagaland state politics. They are very smooth operators, shrewd manipulators, slanderers and horse-traders. They worship money, position and power more than anything else. Their greed is insatiable. They can easily sell their own souls for material possessions. They should never be allowed to open shops in our locality or constituency lest they contaminate the morality of our people by their behaviour and bring ignominy to the locals or constituents.
Hopefully, one day, when we can reduce the number and harmful influence of these notorious ‘political tourists’, the state of Nagaland may have a more stable government and prosper with less corrupt ministers and officers, and, will not have the political leaders who can win elections only, but, also, the statesmen of high integrity and honesty, and, then, we may begin to see a new era of developments in every field like any other progressive states in India.
(Concluded)
