Dr Eyingbeni Hümtsoe-Nienu
The general Naga society at the moment can only continue to mourn over the sad events that have transpired in the last couple of weeks, in relation to ULB elections. The pain at the loss of two precious lives, severe physical injuries, mental torment, moral weakness, property damages and spiritual brokenness are real experiences that may take a long time to heal, if eventually, and I pray, it does.
In the midst of genuine sadness, I continue to trust in women’s potential to turn violent circumstances into peaceable ones. By this, I do not imply women’s general complacence and passivity as an asset to a progressive society. Rather I vouch for women’s active participation in all decision making bodies of the Naga society so as to ensure that such unprecedented protest of a violent nature do not revisit us in the future.
Although, obviously, women’s access to Naga political spaces remains the toughest ceiling to crack, there are numerous questions that continue to beg a second look at Naga customary practices that deprives women – mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, grannies, girlfriends, wives and daughters-in-law – the opportunity to safeguard traditional values, including peacemaking and peacekeeping. At present, the absence of women in vital organs of Naga social setup appears to be the missing link in the chain of peaceful negotiations and agitations (exceptional cases are exceptions). Peace building and peace keeping is a collective work; it takes every peace-loving member and group in a society to maintain it. Any further attempt to polarize gender relations will only weaken the chain of social interdependence and consequently make society susceptible to elements that aggravate conflicts and violence.
In the light of recent unpleasant events, I’m prompted to ask if the situation would’ve turned out differently, and for the better, if women had a place in apex tribe bodies? If women were office bearers in youth organizations? If women also headed village and locality councils? If more women were pastors of local congregations? If there were women legislators in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly? If the JACWR/NMA were one of the signatories of the 30th January 2017 MoU?
The answers can only be imagined. But for the days ahead, I believe Naga society will definitely be in a superior state with women on board in decision making and peace-brokering platforms. Without women in civil and political leadership, history confirms that male exclusive bodies alone, even if put together, could never sustain peace in the land. I wish the Nagas together would pursue this principle of gender-justice in earnest. The Bible shows us that there is a most excellent way to achieve noble goals: Love (cf., 1Cor 13). So then, speaking in context, love, with its origin in God, is the only greatest human emotion available to overcome gender barriers. To inculcate the practice of love for the other gender is an urgent task for Naga Christian homes and churches.
