“A just society is that society in which ascending sense of reverence and descending sense of contempt is dissolved into the creation of a compassionate society”
~ Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
In a relaxing, laidback and bit lazy world of the Nagas interesting events have been unfolding at the speed of a light. Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization is fighting an epic battle for the restoration of the ‘Constitutional Rights’ of the Eastern Naga people under the able, visionary and historic leadership of Shri R. TsapikiuSangtam, ENPO President and Shri K. AsungbaSangtam, former MP, Talk Team Convener.
It is for the first time in decades old history of the Frontier Nagaland Movement, it has reached at the grass root level, successfully stationed at the negotiation table with Ministry of Home Affairs, became the headline of national and international newspapers and able to garner support from different parts of the state of Nagaland and India. Such a miracle has never happened before.
The Frontier Nagaland Movement is inching towards a logical conclusion. The movement has now been able to garner a support from every corner of Nagaland and India. Naga-Non Naga, Eastern Naga/Western Naga all this barriers have been broken down by strong support system that this movement has been able to strategically construct. It has truly become a movement of people who believe in the constitutional ideals of Justice, Equality, Liberty and Fraternity, who believes in universal justice and Indian ethos of “VasudhaivKutumbakam”- THE WORLD IS ONE FAMILY.
Frontier Nagaland movement has not remained simply a movement for a demand of a separate federal unit like State or the Union Territory in the Union of India, but it has now immensely strengthened to rise as a great catalyst on the political horizon of the state of Nagaland. Politics in Nagaland is going to change forever once the Frontier Nagaland Movement reaches to its logical conclusion. We are witnessing the second “renaissance” period in the political history of the Nagas after the formation of Naga Club in 1918-a century ago.We are witnessing the ‘extraordinary’ days. Entire India is observing ‘God’s chosen people’ who are involved in the Frontier Nagaland Movement- the Leaders, Activists and the Lawyers. The role that Lawyers, Intellectuals including the statesmen are playing in this movement is marvelous. Frontier Nagaland Movement could be the only movement in Nagaland or may be in the Northeast region where people from different walks of life, communities and ethnicities came forward voluntarily to contribute. There is a beautiful Urdu quote of Shri MajroohSultanpuriji, “Main Akela hi chalathajaneeb-e-manzil, magaar log saathaategayeaurkarwabantagaya” (“I walked alone to my destination but people kept coming along and the caravan kept getting formed”). This is actually a story of Frontier Nagaland Movement of which I am also a part- as a Constitutional/Legal Expert, a people’s Advocate, a Writer, a Teacher; may be-a dreamer, philosopher, a common Indian, a human too.
This movement has revealed so many things to us. It has taught us how an awakened Eastern Naga who was kept in a political amnesia for six decades woke up to stand upright to claim what belongs to him- “The Rights”. This movement revealed hidden ‘class system’ in Nagaland which became successful in creating a modern ‘Political Caste System’in last six decades where Man from the Eastern Nagaland has been thrown at the very bottom of the political system without any scope to reach political equality. This movement taught us the unity among ‘broken and forgotten people’. This movement taught us as to how some leaders are men of iron solid integrity who cannot be bought and sold. This movement taught us as to how strong willedwomen leaders can lead the movement fearlessly. This movement also taught us as to how and why the honest leaders and the concerned people of the movement should protect the sanctity and purity of people’s movement from the cruel eyes and evil designs of “JUDAS ISCARIOT” type characters.
Frontier Nagaland Movement is willing to write a new story in the history of the Nagas through struggle and determination. Eastern Nagas have chosen the light. It is easy to embrace darkness but difficult to choose the light. As my Father used to say, “Only courageous can fly towards the LIGHT”, today the children of Eastern Nagaland are flying towards light that they never knew existed.
It is not that this movement is free from enemies. There are entities and the people around us who have been praying for the derailment of the movement, but I think it’s too late now. As I learned, JAR of The SIN of Kohima is already filled. It took sixty long years, a long time indeed, however, Karma play its role and none can escape from its clutches.
When Eastern Nagaland was ‘troubled’ and ‘harassed’ left and right, mainstream Naga organizations kept mum, when money from Delhi never seen the door sill of the Eastern Nagaland, not a single mainstream Naga organization raised a voice, when government employees refused to remained in their stations in the eastern region, all closed their eyes, when doctors-nurses-teachers disappeared from their jobs in various locations at Eastern region, Nagaland ignored, when Free Movement Regime (FMR) was becoming super-hot spot of Drugs movement&gun battles and an international highway for Human Trafficking, Kohima chose to tie “Black Cloth Bandage” on its eyes exactly like “Dhritarashtra” in “Mahabharata”. When Tikhir, Khiamniungan, Konyak children are physically harassed and put to slavery in the posh, rich houses located at the wealthy neighborhoods in Mokokchung, Kohima, Dimapur, Chumukedima, Niuland, Tseminyu-no NSF, no GNF, no NMA, no Naga solidarity organization, no peace organization, no justice organizationever raised voice.
I was often asked this specific question- “Are you not scared to roam in THOSE areas, so backward and scary, right”? I could never answer this question. What should I tell them? Should I tell them that I have my friends and families there who wait for my visits? Should I tell them that Mt. Saramati and Mt. Khelia king are my teachers? Or should I tell them that I secretly dream to work in the East and build a small home and take my last breath? Should I tell them that I resonate with suffering of my people in the East? Who will understand? My visits to Noklak was the last compelling push by destiny that broke opened my heart and finally dragged me in the Frontier Nagaland Movement- who will listen? I don’t need to look like Naga to feel like a Naga, who will understand?Suffering has no face actually- Universal Truth!
Major problem in India is that there are hardly handful of people who understand “Nagaland and the Nagas”, also, in Nagaland the epic problem is nobody understands Eastern Nagaland and the Eastern Nagas. As I started openly advocating the need for “Frontier Nagaland” many interesting developments started happening around me. Many so called wise soulsamong friend circle advised me to not to jump on the conclusion ‘too fast’. It is very convenient to offer suggestions, isn’t it? However, all such comments came from people who never ever step out of Dimapur or Kohima to reach the eastern lands. I do not respect intellectuals or whoever, who have no courage or guts to dig out the truth with their own hands and brain. People who discover truth speaks different language.
There is no legal, constitutional or political barrier whatsoever exist to deter Eastern Nagas to achieve their goal- The Frontier Nagaland however, they have to be very careful. Jealousy, lust for power, eye on political mileage and hunger for fame will ruin the GOD driven Movement. Wisdom does not come from sky, it has to be inculcated, and this wisdom will only save our Eastern leaders belonging to different tribes from falling prey to the traps of political, economic lust.
Frontier Nagaland Movement is certainly not a movement for ‘backward’ people who are enjoying stable, steady, prosperous life in Dimapur, Kohima or any other developed region in Nagaland.
I hold the GOD given right to ‘remind’ the leaders and the activists of the movement that they are fighting for the rights of ‘invisible and inaccessible people’ living in the ‘inaccessible and invisible’ regions of Eastern Nagaland who do not even know the meaning of rights, justice, governance or the nation. Frontier Nagaland Movement is a struggle for a better tomorrow.
The last Indian standing on the Indo-Burma Border is waiting for ‘HOPE’ and ‘LIFE’– LET US GIVE HIM and “FREED” HIM.