Reality and Prospect of the Nagas
Niketu Iralu
As published in the Silver Jubilee Souvenir, TSCF, Oct 2002

What is the future of the Nagas, judging by what we are today? This seems to be the question the Souvenir Committee has posed for discussion. I thank the Committee for inviting me to take part in discussing this urgent question. But I should add that I have greatly hesitated to say some of the things I have said towards the end because they touch sensitive issues, so fundamental that they cannot be left out in a discussion of a subject such as this one, but for which I experience very deep inadequacy. I hope and pray my intention will not be misconstrued leading to negative results. I propose to start by stating my convictions about the Naga story and then try to explain why.

1. Our pioneer leaders did the right thing when the British started to leave South Asia. They decided to be true to themselves and to their history, no matter how unequal they found themselves to be to the overwhelming implications of their decision. By their daring sacrifice, they have given their people a clear legal, political and historical basis for their struggle for their identity and aspirations. Had they not fought as they believed, due to lack of a sense of history, or other reasons, our people would have regretted it forever.

2. Our struggle represents our people growing by responding to changes in the world. It is our common crisis of growth.

3. Our long heroic and costly struggle has clearly established our position. Our battle now is to learn from our mistakes, heal our wounds, and unite our people so that what has been achieved may be consolidated, not wasted through our division.

4. Our struggle has revealed our strengths and weaknesses. Our ability to fight for our believes is our main strength. But our purpose and our meaning of life is not geared to the changing and remoulding of our multi-tribe society into a new identity that will be able to respond effectively to the changes coming from all directions. This is our main weakness. We think mainly of getting what we want . This is true of me. Sometimes we think of what can be done. But seldom we think of doing what needs to be done. The accumulated problems created by our sefishness are destroying us. Will our leaders and we create the thinking needed to develop the wide identity we now need?

5. If any solution is to work we have to help one another to heal our wounds that have frozen our hearts. Frozen hearts produce murderous politics. If we let Him God will do it through each one of us. Without healing of the wounds in our relationships, the Nagas' struggle also will collapse into a futile, self destroying venture as has happened with so many struggles elsewhere. To ignore history's lessons results in needless tragedy.

6. Nagas cannot have a viable future unless we start to think also of working out with our neighbours a common stability for the whole North east.

I find it is helpful to take one hand, with the thumb and fingers fully spread out, as the model to teach me what an individual's life, a people's struggle, a nation's growth, or a civilization should be. The whole hand, fully spread or closed, represents the totality of life. And balanced growth is needed in all the dimensions of life.

Let the thumb represent politics and all that it means. Let the four fingers represent mental growth, spiritual growth, character/integrity growth and economic growth, in that order. Developing societies like ours are compelled to concentrate almost entirely on the thumb, i.e, politics giving little or no attention to the other dimensions of life. The result is our politics has become oppresive and destructive, both 'underground' and 'overground', because our sense of responsibility which makes possible creation and sharing of wealth, is growing too slowly. Our politics cannot be better than our thinking.

Wealth is created and resources shared justly when there is growth of moral integrity and character in us. Moral integrity and character are the result of spiritual growth in us. And spiritual growth is through mental growth. Anyone who experiments with obedience or truth finds that when our mind (obviously part of our soul, conscience and will) obeys what it understands or 'hears' from God, liberation and the growth of the mind and spirit takes place producing spiritual growth. The whole chain of growth starts with mental/intellectual clarity and honesty.

The thumb of power and the last finger of wealth recieve all our attention. The three bigger fingers in between are left to grow on their own. Presumably in heaven! A few enjoy manipulated or arbitrary power and wealth without honest sweat. The majority are bitter because they are valued for their votes and taxes only. What we call our economy or wealth is mainly what comes from Delhi and vanishes while trickling through the top layer of politicains and civil servants and their collaborators. Those lower down fight to get their share. We fight for consumption of uncreated wealth given to us by our co-operations. We give no attention to creation of wealth while chasing the easy money coming from Delhi. The result id our hopeless collapse into corruption, despair, extortion, addiction, hatred of self and others and uncontrollable killings. It is said "He who takes more out of society than gives to it is a thief". That is what we all end up doing because our mental and spiritual growth has not created a convincing vision of the society we are to build where power and wealth will be our servant, not our master.

Therefore, after the wielders of power and influence have grabbed more than they should, from which the 'underground' collect their share, what is left is used up for salaries of Government servants. So our 'economy' is really distribution of development money from Delhi by the state government to itself and its relaxed employees.

Critical words about the Naga struggle will not be liked by those who are involved in it. Those leaders and other workers who are sincere, dedicated nation builders will be right to be annoyed. They will be right to feel no one who has not sacrificed and suffered like them has the authority to say what is going right or wrong with the struggle. But they will be the first to agree that the Naga struggle, reflecting our society is also exhibiting its serious shortcomings, just as the state is doing. As both the 'underground' and 'overground' arecaught in a larger of a paradign shift, the author hopes what is said objectively here will be considered in the spirit in which it is said. Tully, Roman historian in the first century said of his decadent, collapsing society, "we have reached the point where we cannot face either our vices or their cures". The conviction and motive behind this attempt at analysis is that all those who care from all sides will act together to bring about the needed cures to our vices and wounds before they kill us.

"A nation's thinking is in ruins before a nation is in ruins", Frank Buchman said this intiating the battle for moral and spiritual recovery as World War II started and the materialist philosophies of the right and the left, Fascism and Marxisn, competed to replace the Christian values of western civilization. What can we say about our thinking?

Our crisis requires us to solve so many problems in such a short time. The challenge is so frustrating because our knowledge, experiences and skills for solving problems are so inadequate. But we too have no choice but to learn to handle it. The ancient Chinese taught that crises are not to be feared or avoided. They should be responded to correctly because we change and grow only by wrestling with continuous crises. So the Chinese word for crisis means Danger and Opportunity! Physicist Marie Curie also said, "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood".

"A life that is not examined is not worth living". This observation by Socrates is well known. A struggle that is not constantly examined also soon ceases to be worth sacrificing for. It quickly goes wrong and starts to destroy itself and the people for whom it was started. History has repeatedly shown this. A people's struggle is a huge crisis. If its opportunities are abused or ignored, its dangers take over and it can become uncontrollably destructive. Is this not true of the Naga story, 'underground' and 'overground'? We are to answer this common destructiveness.

As we look back we see much to be proud of. But we also see serious inadequacies and wrongs we hide or justify. We are so afraid of admitting our mistakes and failures, we seem prepared to even sacrifice our people to prove we are right. The folly is suicidal.

We Nagas are not more than what we are. But we are not less than what we are. This assesment is dependable. It can be the foundation on which to build ourselves up. It is true we are way below many other advanced societies that have become stable by learning from many tough trials and errors spread over centuries. We do not need to be discouraged. An adoslescent child does not need to worry that he or she is way below those who are grown up! We need to know and be grateful that we too have covered some distance in our journey as a people however short it may be compared to some others. We must not overestimate what we have achieved. But we must not also underestimate it. And we dare not also be casual about the relentless efforts we have to make to keep growing. Our main achievement is our fight for what we concluded to fundamentally be important for our integrity and honour as a people. Let us look at this achievement.

A good deal of what we are is revealed in the historical facts of our struggle. The British came and took over our land and when they were consolidating their hold over our region of Asia to secure their Indian empire and to exploit the tremendous economic potential of the Brahmaputra valley. They arrogantly treated the land of the Nagas as if it was uninhabited space as they have treated the lands of the native peoples in North America, Australia and New Zealand as 'terra nullius', empty land. The valiant stand by various Naga villages against the British invaders is well recorded. Superior armour and resources decided the outcome here as elsewhere in the Western hemisphere in Australasia.

Subjucation by the British was to prove to be the beginning of the growth of the Naga national consciousness. The trauma of defeat made the Nagas to think beyond their traditional village identities to develop their tribe identities. This marked our first crisis and growth.

Jadonang Thiudai of Puilon village understood the crisis of his people and showed by his life how to respond to it. The spiritual and earthly dimensions of life were both equally real to him. His strength came from his loyalty to both. In his vivid dreams God instructed him how he was to live for the salvation of his people. He spoke with passion and authority because he saw and thought with clarity and acted truthfully without fear. "He walked his talk", as the people of the first nations of North America would say. A man of action, he roused his Zeliangrong people to awareness and action to redeem their and dignity. His prophetic vision expressed in compelling poetic words dared to see Nagas waging their struggle and winning on the strength of their mind and spirit. One of his songs declared,

"Creator God! The time is here
Grant us the age buried under the earth, good God,
When my time comes mouth and mouth fight will be
There will be no more dao and spear.
Write the victorious scripts when I am put out.
Who can defeat the God of Heaven?
In God my father I shall not fear!"

The British hanged the young pioneering reformer and nation builder in 1931. He was only 26. They cruelly snuffed out a candle where bright flame promised so much. That only his followers knew of the daring stand of the Rongmei braveheart and mourned him showed Nagas had barely embarked on their journey to become a people. But the political ferment that produced him was widespread. Nothing was going to stop it. The failure to achieve the objective in his lifetime does not need to cause regret. Jadonang's fight then established the point that Nagas would act according to their thinking. A candle adds light and grandeur to the story of the Naga struggle.

In 1929, the British Simon Commission came to Kohima. What the Nagas said then was their first declaration in writing asserting their right to decide their own future on the basis og their history. it showed Nagas had started to think beyond their tribe.

The next decisive moment was the departure of the British from their empire in South Asia. Nagas faced a historic moment. Naga National Council (NNC) had come into being at the initiative of C.R.Pawsey, the Englishman who was deputy Commissioner of Nagas Hills District of Assam. Pawsey's intention was to enable Nagas to respond to the coming changes as a people. He was doing with the Nagas what Alan Octavian Hume, another Briton, had done elsewhere in the 19th Century in initiating the process that led to the formation of the Indian National Congress of Tilak, Gandhi, Nehry, Patel, Azad, Raja Gopalachari, and so on. Had Hume lived he would most probably have disagreed with the politics of these Indian freedom fighters. But that would not have mattered. The NNC too soon became a body that went way beyond what Pawsey had envisaged for it to do. It was inevitable because its first leaders had to decide the position Nagas were to adopt On Britian's departure keeping in mind all that Nagas had done earlier consistently to defend their land and identity. The decisions and position adopted bythe NNC starting from its first President T.Aliba were all consistent with the position the Nagas had adopted upto that time. The most significant decision was to declare Naga Independence from Britian on August 14th 1947, after the talks over proposals of the Hydari-Naga Pact were unilaterally terminated by Delhi.

Judging by the written records and personal accounts of surviving veterans from those days, A.Z.Phizo's arrival on the scene at this juncture was soon to decisively end all hesitations and ambiquities of strategy and take NNC in the direction of implementing the August 14th declaration. He became the fourth President towards the end of 1950. In May next year, the Naga plebiscite was held.

The massive response the Nagas gave to Phizo's all-out leadership indisputably produced the most decisive shift and upheaval in the lives of the Nagas in their history. Equally demonstrated is the leadership competence of Isak Swu and Th.Muivah following the formation of the NSCN(IM) after the Shillong Accord. The second ceasefire and the present negotiation with Delhi are a measureof their ability and their team's courage and commitment for the Nagas.

The NSCN split into the IM and Khaplang groups over serious differences.A special role S.S.Khaplang and General Kholi and their close groups of tribes have played in consolidating an extensive strategic region of the Naga homeland and making it a part of the Naga's story and struggle cannot be matched by anyone. What Nagas owe to them for their unique contribution cannot be overstated.

The story of the Naga struggle is familiar to most Nagas. So what has been briefly outlined will serve our purpose. Our assignment is to consider where the present trends are taking us and what we are to do.

The future prospects of the Nagas will be decided by our truthfullness about our past and our present reality. This depends on what philosophy of life we live by. Do we have one? The courage and sacrifices of those who have fought for our aspirations have given us a priceless heritage. But we cannot go further unless every Naga will decide to think out the meaning and purpose of his or her life and live it out fully. The heritage can become a curse from the past, like the proverbial albatross around our neck, instead of a dependable foundation on whichto build our future. What has gone wrong along the way has to be put right. The curse will then be replaced by life giving hope. May our leaders see the battle this way.

Nagas have started to vigorously discuss what has gone wrong in our story. This is a welcome change. It show Nagas want to be responsible instead of being helpless or indifferent. Blaise Pascal said,"Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed. All our dignity consists in thought. It is on thought that we must depend for our recovery". May this be true of us also.

On August 18th last year in Kohima, Melhupra Vero, President of the Naga Hoho, opened a meeting of leaders from all Naga areas by restating the central theme of Naga Hoho, "Nagas are one". His speech was warmly applauded. Later during the discussions a senior Konyak leader said, "Mr.President, we applauded you when you said, "Nagas are one". We all like the idea and we have no choice but to be truly one and solve our problems in order to survive and grow like others. But we must behonest about our situation. Are Nagas one? Can we be one? From our experiences, we the weaker, less developed tribes have drawn conclusions about our Naga family. It was said the State of Nagaland was created for the equal development of all tribes of Nagaland. But we know which tribes have benifited and which tribes have not We feel insecure and distrustful. We know what has happened in the Naga struggle for sovereignty also. Now a new settlement will most likely come. We are apprehensive of the treatment we will recieve when it comes. If we are sincere to be one people these fears and doubts must not be treated lightly. Let us be honest and realistic". No applause greeted his words.But there were many heads nodding and serious reflection was visible in the eyes of all present. The questions reveal what we have to tackle.

I suggest that most of the wrongs we have done to one another are linked to our difficult attempt to adjust to a situation that has changed too fast for us. Are we not coping a comprehensive shift from a tribal paradigm to a wider identity that we are impelled to develop to survive in a fast changing world? The crisis compels us to break out of familiar, safe comfort zone of the past, for astage of growth that is unknown and perilous, and we are insecure. Here we need to take an objective look at the power of tribalism in our politics. It is fashionable to condemn it just as it is fashionable to condemn caste and racial prejudice anywhere. But these prejudices are psychological defenses and so they are immensely strong. Therefore condemnation does not work. I believe honest acknowledgement is the answer. We cannot deny that a good deal of the destructiveness in our society and politics is coming from what can be called 'tribal narcissism' hidden inside us.

The word comes from 'Narcissus', the name of a beautiful youth in Greek mythology who fell in love with his own image reflected in a pool. He wasted away from unsatisfied desire, unable to get out of his obsessive self-admiration. He was finally transformed into the flower that came to be called narcissus. So, narcissism in psychoanalysis means "self love, ego-centrism, total admiration of oneself, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development".

One of the fascinating mysteries of God's plan for life is that selfishness, the normal condition at the initial infantile level soon starts to be rejected by a personality development process in a growing adolescent which results in a mature person capable of caring and sacrificing for others. What is the meaning of this spiritual process, or personality development from total narcissism to altruistic, selfless caring for others? I think it is this - It is God's plan that we start from self love and self-preservation instinct only. We should not condemn it because it enables us to get launched in life. But we are required by life to grow out of our initial comfort zone in order to develop the exact opposite, a stronger, more open and resilient personality needed by us to go through life. To refuse to do so results in mental, spiritual and physical retardation or worse.

We should not condemn our tribalism. It is, as in infantile narcissism, the self-preservation instinct that has brought all the different tribes up to where we are today. What is essential is to understand that tribalism has served its purpose. We should grow by building on what it has given us without letting it control us anymore. A helpful imagery can come from space exploration. The immensely powerful booster rockets fall away after they have put the sattelite with its payload of highly costly and sensitive scientific instruments into orbit. After they have completed their assigned task they become dead weights. They must be discarded for the safety of the mission. But without their initial explosive thrust the space rocket does not leave the ground. So, tribalism, the booster force that has brought all of us thus far, too has to be discarded, not with condemnation but with gratitude for what it has done for us. We will then learn to harness the powerful force in tribalism to strengthen our common identity. Tribalism is an intense restricted love. God requires us to stretch thatlove to his love and passion for all. Either God was careless in giving a common aspiration to so many different tribes, who are solely tempted to exclude one another, or he had a high purpose for them. And he will help them to rise to it by showing them how to find humility and strength from their differences. Discovering God's meaning and purpose for us, and then deciding to fight for it, is our only hope. To reject it for anything less is to create hell without intending to.

No I want to share some thing from my own search and experience in the battle for reconliation. As the Convenor of Naga Hoho Co-ordination committee I am advocating well-known truths on the subject. But I find I need to be sure I live the truth I talk about. With fellow workers I travel frequently to meet leaders of different tribes and of the Naga Struggle. These close interactions have been, and are being attempted to establish a human connection at the level of conscience - or to create a level ground of transparency and objective understanding among all members of the Naga family. These 'journeys of conscience' are internally to our own people and externally to the Indian people, for understanding, friendship and peace.

The concept of the journeys of conscience is expressed in the Pledge the Presidents of all tribes took at the launching of the Naga Reconciliation Process on December 20, 2001, in Kohima. It said, "I (President of my tribe) affirm that we will go beyond seeing only where others have hurt us and be ready to see where we too may have provoked them to hurt us, so that forgiving and being forgiven may become possible".

When I arrived in Bangkok for the second consultation organised by NSCN(IM) I found that honest conversation entails. I accepted the invitation because I believe honest conversation is the key to healing. After I arrived I found I had no wish to say anything because of the unhappiness in my heart. After a sleepless night I got up to hear what God would perhaps say to me.

As I sat down to listen with my pen and paper the following thoughts came to me, "You are unhappy because you are trying to avoid facing your jealousy. The Tangkhuls and Semas have done something you deeply wish uncle Phizo had done - bringing Nagas together to thrash out the issues facing the Naga struggle. Whether the NSCN(IM) will go beyond consultations with the Naga public like this and sit down with their rival factions to evolve a consensus for negotiating with Delhi is yet to be seen. That would be the honest-to-God, statesmanlike thing for them to do after all that they have said and done following the Shillong Accord. But these consultations are in the right direction. You are unwilling to appreciate what they have done.

"Remember what Muivah told you on a previous discussion, where you told him where Tangkhuls needed to be different. After listening intently he said,'There is truth in what you have said. Thank you. But can you see what others see and experience with Angamis also? There is no dispute at all about the unique contribution by uncle Phizo and other Angamis in launching the Naga struggle. Without uncle Phizo's political clarity, farsightedness, his courage and his sacrifice, Nagas will not have the glorious struggle we have today. We are previledged to continue it today and we can speak with complete authority toIndia and the world because he made the Naga struggle historically, politically and legally unchallengeable. But what is so hurting and unacceptable is that Angamis dont appreciate the sacrifices and contributions of others. They seen to think Angami sacrifice alone is of value and Angami leadership alone is right'. You saw how your attitudes and prejudices must have hurt and provoked some of the terrible things others too have done to us. We feel that they have gone too far in their reaction. But God sees our share in their wrongs to be equally important because we dare not deny we provoked them to do their worst. He wants us to admit our share, which may touch others also to see where they too went wrong.

"Uncle Phizo failed to call such consultations largely because he had no money and he was too far away from his people. The difficulties he faced were immense. The educated Nagas went for Govenment jobs. This must have hurt him deeply; especially the unwillingness of the Angamis to stand with him after Sakhrie and Jasokie took a different course. Tubu Kevichusa was the striking exception years later. Anyone in his position would have felt what he must have felt. Those who cooperated with Delhi were dealt with as betrayers. They too did their utmost to destroy the Naga struggle and with Delhi's help they succeeded at that stage.

"Had they gone on to integrate all Naga areas in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh and vigorously developed the new state justly to give our people a sense of progress towards their aspirations, they would have morally justified their decision to colaborate with Delhi which shattered the dreams of their people. But the vigour and passion with which they developed themselves, some of them to excessive proportions, instead of the State for their people, is something they must regret. It showed what they wanted immediately was more important to them than than the actual growth of the Nagas.

"The integration of the Naga areas into one unit would have been achieved if the creators of the State had told Nehru they had risked their lives to collaborate with him. They could not accept Naga Hills District alone as the State of Nagaland as the Federal Government of Nagaland was fighting for all Naga areas. All that they had to do was to say to Nehru they had no choice but to return and tell the Naga Peoples' Convention Nehru could not give Nagas what was rightly theirs. Their decision not to pursue the matter showed there was no vision or thought to restrain the temptation of instant enjoyment of power. Their failure illustrades clearly what happens to anyone of us when we think only of what we want instantly, not what needs to be done. What needed to be done was found was found to be difficult and left untried.

"Misunderstanding rapidly grew and divisions deepened. And it was not surprising at all that something went wrong at this stage in Phizo's touch with his people at home. It would have happened with anyone in his place. What went wrong should be acknowledged. That will not damage or erase the great things Phizo had achieved.

"The coterie of those trusted got narrower. Those not trusted increased and they naturally began to react in resentment. Communicatin became seriously defective and misleading which produced distrust and insecurity. Phizo did not and could not call such a meeting to review the whole situation with his colleagues at home to evolve a common mind for the next steps. I fully understand his extraordinary difficulties. But this was a mistake, as was his failure to give a clear public statement on his position on Shillong Accord. His total rejection of the Accord was known. But many Nagas expected him to 'roar like a tiger' to reject the Accord as he did in condemning the co-operation proposal earlier by T.Sakhrie and his colleagues.

"What was his reason for keeping silent? Had he concluded Muivah had decided to oust him? Was his suspicion wrong? What would have happened if Phizo told his younger colleagues, "I understand your ideas, doubts and fears. I too have my own. Arrange a meeting soonest for a comprehensive assessment and planning. I salute the courage and steadfastness in each one of you. Nothing must devide us. Kuknalim". What would have happened if Isak and Muivah had called for such a meeting despite all they felt because of their perception about Phizo's attitude which had hurt them? Would Phizo had agreed to meet if they had tried? Would those advising Phizo have welcome and helped for such a meeting? God alone can handle the answer to these questions even now. Nothing we haver felt, schemed or done is hidden from Him, or beyond him cleansing, healing and forgiving.

" Whatever the reasons, his silence in the context of the tense crisis at the time was a costly error. I say this without condemnation but with compassion and understanding. The issues he and his team faced were overwhelming. Acknowledging a failure does not damage his historic stature in anyway. And from my experiences of frank talks with him I am convinced he would have rectified his mistakes and taken the right initiatives, if someone had risked enough to help him see the whole picture."

I am clear Angamis, like others have much to be proud of. But I am also fully conscious that certain effortless attitudes in us have deeply hurt and enraged other tribes. A Zemi youth leader told me, "It was like walking through fire for me every time I had to walk through Khonoma as a student. Even the childern treated us as if we were objects of ridicule and they were doing nothing wrong to taunt us. Khonoma attitude towards us was so hurting although I have the deepest respects for the rare qualities of your village". Just ask the other tribes what they have felt and seen and they will tell you. If with God's grace and greatness of heart we listen to them and change, we will be liberated to play our rightful role for the Nagas.

I shared some of these thoughts at the Consultation meeting when I was asked to give my view. I could not share all because of shortage of time. I said I was trying to "walk in the light as He is in the light" so that the blood of Jesus Christ may cleanse me and others, producing trust and understanding.

I added that the NSCN(IM) leadership in my view, was the most competent to negotiate with Delhi at this time but the heart of many Nagas had frozen cold, fearful and hateful towards the group because of the perception that the group does not value life and this would result in serious consequences. This perception must not be treated lightly.

I reiterated the conviction shared by the majority of Nagas, I am sure, that NSCN(IM) must achieve a workable settlement by boldly including the other national groups in finding a common position for negotiation with Delhi. If they aqrenegotiating for something other than the original Naga stand, they need not tell the public the terms they propose for negotiation. But they must find a way of including their formal comrades in what has now to be achieved together. The Naga publicwill prevail upon their rivals to cooperate for the best interest of the Nagas as they know NSCN(IM) will fight for the maximum possible. NSCN(IM) must not underestimate the longterm consequences of taking a course that suits them only, forgetting what they have said and done accusing others. Nagas expect them to be truthful. They do not want to be manipulated even if NSCN(IM) thinks it is for their ultimate good. Achieving a settlement by winning their rivals, though it will be extremely tough, will prove to be NSCN(IM)'s lasting gift to the Nagas. To achieve it by deepening the wounds would prove to be NSCN(IM)'s tragic contribution to be added to those already inflicted by the other groups.

I spoke with trepidation feeling "poor in spirit", because I know my human feelings, not God's wisdom, guide me easily. But what concerns me most is that if we do not risk causing displeasure in order to establish a connection at the level of our conscience when the veterans are still with us, the coming generations will be condemned to repeat in our land the nightmares of Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, Sierra Leone and Cambodia where unexamined tribal narcissism became the deciding factor. I do not believe this should be our gift to our children.

The Prospect of the Nagas
Leon Trotsky, next to Lenin in the Bolshevik hierarchy, and the communist theoritician as well as the founder of the Red Army said, "If anyone born in this century thinks he has come to relax, he should realize he has come in the wrong century". Trotsky saw clearly the turbulent years ahead for the world. We too should see what lies ahead with reaslisn and complete willingness to do what needs to be done. "Arm me with a willing spirit", Psalm 51.

There are many other tough issues we need to resolve together to make our society function successfully. Opportunities are vanishing fast and time is precious. Who is right, is futile leading us nowhere. What is right for all Nagas can unite because it will require all to change equally. The logical conclusion of elimination and exclusion of one another is total instability. We need to draw the best instead of the worst from one another to build the future together. Some may say this is idealistic nonsense to be indulged in heaven only. The reply is create hell on earth immediately if we follow any other doctrine of life. And the geopolitical instability of our whole region of Asia is such that to relax and pursue our own selfish interests is like painting one's cabin on a sinking ship.

The tribal narcissism mentioned earlier is the toughest reality we have to transform together. Its toughness and threat come from the fact that it is so much a natural part of us. God will show us how we are to change this common threat into a common strength, because He is the one who has given us the idea and the desire to be a people.

The prospect of the Nagas need not be in doubt if we will show more interst in caring for the healthof the growing Naga tree than in its fruits. We need to become men and women for whom caring for the health of the tree is more important than enjoyment of its fruits.

I shall end with the thought of a dear friend from my village who asked God what he was to say to a man from another tribe he had wanted to kill in revenge. God said, "You are too sensitive to where others have hurt you but too insensitive to where you have hurt others. If you can have the courage to kill a man why can't you have the courage to love him enough to make him a different man?". As a guerilla fighter he was ready to die for his people. He decided to live for themby first apologizing to the man he tried to kill. He became free from hate and God has used his obedience since then as a bridge builder.

Niketu Iralu is the Convenor of Naga Hoho Coordination Committee. He is also associated with the Moral Re-Armament (MRA).
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NagaTalk 2002