FEELING has no Form or Color and therefore Feeling is not easily seen unless it comes out in visible Form. A man may feel angry but others would not know his anger unless it turns into action, a woman may feel very happy but unless she laughs, others would not know she is happy.
The erstwhile Tuensang-Mon people must have felt sidelined in Nagaland’s economic journey. Rarely do people feel bad out of nothing; the Tuensang-Mon people must really have valid reasons for being less than happy at the condition of their Area in comparison with others of Nagaland. They are less fortunate but successive Governments of Nagaland have not looked after them as successfully as it should have.
The Writer has a photo of Noklak Town taken nearly 20 years ago and one taken recently; Noklak did not seem to have changed much in the last 20 years. In Nagaland, one can guess the community from the accent of Nagamese he speaks; most of the persons driving posh vehicles around sounds to be from Sümi or Ao or Angami or Lotha Communities and not much from the others, the number of super Contractors from a Community indicate the Economic condition of that community. Surely the people of Tuensang-Mon Area have been less fortunate. There are Villages in interior Nagaland with no Electricity for the last 2 years though Nagaland, after Haryana, has connected entire Villages in the State long ago. There are Villages in Nagaland without motor Road connections after nearly more than half a century of road constructions.
It is good that people are now required to declare their assets at the time of the submission of their Nomination Paper for Elective Post in the Legislative bodies, it is found quite a few Candidates from the four fortunate Communities are Lakhpatis and Karorpatis. Even a respected religious Leader from a forward Naga Community settled in the West is a Millionaire.
OPPORTUNITIES determine the Economic condition of a People and Opportunities appear to come by easier to certain groups due to complex Social, Political and Economic SYSTEMs we have unwittingly developed.
To be nakedly illustrative, it seems it has become the norm in Nagaland that whenever a person becomes the Chief Minister, commonly his Community profited more over others in Economic Prosperity. By and large, the Family Members of a Minister in Power have an edge over others in developmental opportunities. This is the way complex Systems of opportunities works in Indian Politics and Nagaland also seems to have contracted the democratic Disease from Delhi. In other Democracies like UK today, election of a Mr. Blair does not give undue advantage to the Blair Community but to the Labor Community of the Nation and the election of a Mr. Cameron Prime Minister of UK gives no advantage to the Cameron’s family but to all Conservatives of the whole State.
To express a general fact of life frankly however, a Man makes himself rich more than others make him rich. Even in rustic traditional Naga Villages a Villager Cultivator becomes richer than others because of his qualities. He has the same two hands, the same ten fingers, two legs and two Eyes just like any other Villagers, he works the same day light hours like other Villagers, may be, he sleeps a little less night hours than others but no one has any secret Agenda to make him richer than others, yet he is richer because he is more industrious, more frugal, more earnest and careful, more positive, truer to life, more courageous and honed sharp his qualities of head & heart others are not very careful about.
Nobody made the Japanese rich from the dusty remains of the Atom Bomb of World War II; they have made themselves the second richest Nation in the world within 30 years after being annihilated. Nobody made the West’s more civilized than others; it is the Westerners themselves that have made them most developed in the world; in 500 years after 1500 AD, they made themselves more advanced than others. The Singaporeans have made themselves one of the richest City Nation within the life time of a single Prime Minister. Twentieth Century democratic Nations like Korea and Taipei are richer and more advanced than Nations of ancient Civilizations like India or Iran because of the democratic, political and Economic Systems they practice.
It is SOCIAL, POLITICAL, and ECONOMIC Systems that affect the Prosperity of a People. Nagas are still mostly in their simple Social, Political and Economic Life; we boast ourselves as having the Purest Democracy in the world but when Elections comes, in many places, one man collects all the voting Papers of the Village and performs the purest form of voting in the name of the solidarity of the Village. And if we think we are loosing, we have no regret even to smash the Sacred Ballot Box of Democracy so that others are also made to loose like us and every body keep silent. Such Social, political Norms and Attitudes in the Society make us lag behind others and equitable distribution of Economic Opportunities becomes very difficult to develop.
Today in Nagaland, the Government appear becoming more and more like a Company: the CEO and the Managers control a Company; for the past nearly 50 years, the Ministers and the MLAs from Tuensang–Mon Area have behaved like nice dutiful Company Employees rather than like Managers. Once they get the Post of a Minister plus their livelihood, they should be deciding the future destiny of their people but they simply behave like Company Employee. What the Tuensang-Mon Legislators have failed to realize for the last more than a generation, the ENPO has bought out into the open. It is good the ENPO has brought it out to the notice of the entire Naga Public.
A recently elected Leader from the Area when asked to express his opinion on the present Issue replied he has no Comment! It is such timidity, lack of courage, lack of leadership and lack of vision for the general good of his People that creates weaknesses in the Society. Mr. Ibobi Singh has vehemently and courageously opposed the dismemberment of Naga Area from Manipur but in Nagaland even important core Cabinet Leaders evade unconvincingly and say the lame excuse that the burning Issue is between the ENPO and Delhi only as if Nagaland has nothing to do with it.
Tuensang-Mon Area is an endearing part of Nagaland, some Nagas have even boasted sometime ago that there is no power in the world that would separate the Nagas from Nagas, but when the people of Tuensang–Mon Area, because of some genuine grievances, speak of Separation from Nagaland, even some Naga National Groups appear to be afraid of the Public Opinion of the Area and say they have no comment on the issue but insist they are still on UNITY OF NAGAS. What interesting but perplexing paradox!
To cut a long story short: the Management of the ‘FRONTIER NAGALAND STATE’ would be nowhere easier than Managing boisterous Nagaland. If Nagaland has unwittingly, unintentionally and imperceptibly gone awry, there is no guarantee Frontier Nagaland would not; as it is, there are serious Ethnic, Economic and Political imbalances and difficulties in the Area; who will solve them; from where will the better Managers come? In Delhi, Political Power comes from the number of Palms, not much from the Graciousness of the Bank –two cardinal facts Frontier Nagaland does not possess, and they are walking into the Ocean without Boats even.
It is true they have grievances in Government employments, in development and in economic disparity; we feel really sorry for them but the problem is best solved openly, honestly and truthfully in Nagaland in eye ball to eye ball straightforward palaver for suitable special -if required Guarantee Arrangement- to ameliorate the grievances rather than tread into the land of rapacious Giants where Angels are few and far between.
People may personally feel bad towards Individuals but Government is not an Individual, it is a corporate Body and it is not profitable for people to feel bad at Governments where no one particular person would take the blame. It is better to bind Government with unbreakable ropes in Agreement Terms advantageous to ourselves rather than feel Angry at it!
The erstwhile Tuensang-Mon people must have felt sidelined in Nagaland’s economic journey. Rarely do people feel bad out of nothing; the Tuensang-Mon people must really have valid reasons for being less than happy at the condition of their Area in comparison with others of Nagaland. They are less fortunate but successive Governments of Nagaland have not looked after them as successfully as it should have.
The Writer has a photo of Noklak Town taken nearly 20 years ago and one taken recently; Noklak did not seem to have changed much in the last 20 years. In Nagaland, one can guess the community from the accent of Nagamese he speaks; most of the persons driving posh vehicles around sounds to be from Sümi or Ao or Angami or Lotha Communities and not much from the others, the number of super Contractors from a Community indicate the Economic condition of that community. Surely the people of Tuensang-Mon Area have been less fortunate. There are Villages in interior Nagaland with no Electricity for the last 2 years though Nagaland, after Haryana, has connected entire Villages in the State long ago. There are Villages in Nagaland without motor Road connections after nearly more than half a century of road constructions.
It is good that people are now required to declare their assets at the time of the submission of their Nomination Paper for Elective Post in the Legislative bodies, it is found quite a few Candidates from the four fortunate Communities are Lakhpatis and Karorpatis. Even a respected religious Leader from a forward Naga Community settled in the West is a Millionaire.
OPPORTUNITIES determine the Economic condition of a People and Opportunities appear to come by easier to certain groups due to complex Social, Political and Economic SYSTEMs we have unwittingly developed.
To be nakedly illustrative, it seems it has become the norm in Nagaland that whenever a person becomes the Chief Minister, commonly his Community profited more over others in Economic Prosperity. By and large, the Family Members of a Minister in Power have an edge over others in developmental opportunities. This is the way complex Systems of opportunities works in Indian Politics and Nagaland also seems to have contracted the democratic Disease from Delhi. In other Democracies like UK today, election of a Mr. Blair does not give undue advantage to the Blair Community but to the Labor Community of the Nation and the election of a Mr. Cameron Prime Minister of UK gives no advantage to the Cameron’s family but to all Conservatives of the whole State.
To express a general fact of life frankly however, a Man makes himself rich more than others make him rich. Even in rustic traditional Naga Villages a Villager Cultivator becomes richer than others because of his qualities. He has the same two hands, the same ten fingers, two legs and two Eyes just like any other Villagers, he works the same day light hours like other Villagers, may be, he sleeps a little less night hours than others but no one has any secret Agenda to make him richer than others, yet he is richer because he is more industrious, more frugal, more earnest and careful, more positive, truer to life, more courageous and honed sharp his qualities of head & heart others are not very careful about.
Nobody made the Japanese rich from the dusty remains of the Atom Bomb of World War II; they have made themselves the second richest Nation in the world within 30 years after being annihilated. Nobody made the West’s more civilized than others; it is the Westerners themselves that have made them most developed in the world; in 500 years after 1500 AD, they made themselves more advanced than others. The Singaporeans have made themselves one of the richest City Nation within the life time of a single Prime Minister. Twentieth Century democratic Nations like Korea and Taipei are richer and more advanced than Nations of ancient Civilizations like India or Iran because of the democratic, political and Economic Systems they practice.
It is SOCIAL, POLITICAL, and ECONOMIC Systems that affect the Prosperity of a People. Nagas are still mostly in their simple Social, Political and Economic Life; we boast ourselves as having the Purest Democracy in the world but when Elections comes, in many places, one man collects all the voting Papers of the Village and performs the purest form of voting in the name of the solidarity of the Village. And if we think we are loosing, we have no regret even to smash the Sacred Ballot Box of Democracy so that others are also made to loose like us and every body keep silent. Such Social, political Norms and Attitudes in the Society make us lag behind others and equitable distribution of Economic Opportunities becomes very difficult to develop.
Today in Nagaland, the Government appear becoming more and more like a Company: the CEO and the Managers control a Company; for the past nearly 50 years, the Ministers and the MLAs from Tuensang–Mon Area have behaved like nice dutiful Company Employees rather than like Managers. Once they get the Post of a Minister plus their livelihood, they should be deciding the future destiny of their people but they simply behave like Company Employee. What the Tuensang-Mon Legislators have failed to realize for the last more than a generation, the ENPO has bought out into the open. It is good the ENPO has brought it out to the notice of the entire Naga Public.
A recently elected Leader from the Area when asked to express his opinion on the present Issue replied he has no Comment! It is such timidity, lack of courage, lack of leadership and lack of vision for the general good of his People that creates weaknesses in the Society. Mr. Ibobi Singh has vehemently and courageously opposed the dismemberment of Naga Area from Manipur but in Nagaland even important core Cabinet Leaders evade unconvincingly and say the lame excuse that the burning Issue is between the ENPO and Delhi only as if Nagaland has nothing to do with it.
Tuensang-Mon Area is an endearing part of Nagaland, some Nagas have even boasted sometime ago that there is no power in the world that would separate the Nagas from Nagas, but when the people of Tuensang–Mon Area, because of some genuine grievances, speak of Separation from Nagaland, even some Naga National Groups appear to be afraid of the Public Opinion of the Area and say they have no comment on the issue but insist they are still on UNITY OF NAGAS. What interesting but perplexing paradox!
To cut a long story short: the Management of the ‘FRONTIER NAGALAND STATE’ would be nowhere easier than Managing boisterous Nagaland. If Nagaland has unwittingly, unintentionally and imperceptibly gone awry, there is no guarantee Frontier Nagaland would not; as it is, there are serious Ethnic, Economic and Political imbalances and difficulties in the Area; who will solve them; from where will the better Managers come? In Delhi, Political Power comes from the number of Palms, not much from the Graciousness of the Bank –two cardinal facts Frontier Nagaland does not possess, and they are walking into the Ocean without Boats even.
It is true they have grievances in Government employments, in development and in economic disparity; we feel really sorry for them but the problem is best solved openly, honestly and truthfully in Nagaland in eye ball to eye ball straightforward palaver for suitable special -if required Guarantee Arrangement- to ameliorate the grievances rather than tread into the land of rapacious Giants where Angels are few and far between.
People may personally feel bad towards Individuals but Government is not an Individual, it is a corporate Body and it is not profitable for people to feel bad at Governments where no one particular person would take the blame. It is better to bind Government with unbreakable ropes in Agreement Terms advantageous to ourselves rather than feel Angry at it!
