Truth be told, the whole truth

If the advancement of a community were to be judged by the manner in which they participate in elections, Mokokchung would be hands down the most backward district in Nagaland. All the electoral malpractices barred by law are practiced in Mokokchung. The irony is there seems to be no law to punish the culprits who break the law. From free flow of liquor and other freebies to woo voters, cash-for-vote, threat and intimidation, brute force and coercion, unlawful detention and abduction, arson and ransacking, stone-pelting and gunfights, and now homicide to deceit, debauchery, maleficence and impiety – everything that can be termed ‘wrong’ are practiced here. From honest, hardworking, fiercely independent warrior tribes to this – where did we go wrong?

Morality cannot be legislated into law. As amoral as we have become, there is no more room for honor, principle and ethics in our hearts now. The courage needed to uphold truth and to admit one’s mistakes has become a rare commodity. If these are not symptoms of a degenerate society, what is? Just how degenerate we have become as a society is clearly portrayed during elections. At this stage, one is made to believe that campaigns on clean elections are a waste of time, energy and resources. One is made to wonder if flipping over tables and chasing people with a whip – as Jesus did – is within the realm of possibilities. This insanity, this degeneracy, is a mass sickness – a psychogenic one, perhaps. This mass sickness is not like the common cold that can resolve on its own. This is a sickness that requires serious treatment. The cure to this sickness lies in revealing the truth and embracing it.

Last week, a preacher said in his sermon that the culture of electoral malpractice originated in Mokokchung. He did not mention names, places or dates. However, what he mentioned corroborates a narrative that most of us who were born and raised in the 1980s and after, those of us who are now in the 40s and younger, can hardly conceive. If we are to address this problem, we have to get to the bottom of it, the origin, and then uproot and expose it. Therefore, the question is, is it really true that use of money, violence and deceit during elections in Nagaland have its origin in Mokokchung? If yes, when and where did it start from? Those who know the truth must reveal it. And those who gave life to it must be made to admit their fault. Then and only then can we move forward. Only the truth can break us free from these chains that are restraining us.

We talk about change but change is possible only when there is a change of heart. Physical change manifests itself when there is change in the mind, heart and soul which of course is possible only when we embrace the truth. Therefore, if we want to change the way we as a collective conduct ourselves during elections, then the truth must be exposed first. That is one way of addressing this problem. So tell us the truth, the whole truth.