Suryaraju Mattimalla
In the justice court of India, my plea took flight,
Yet the gavel fell silent, extinguishing light.
For Nagalim’s cry for independence was cast aside,
In the halls of power, where hopes often died.
I sought a voice for greater Nagaland’s grace,
But the Indian parliament turned a cold, vacant face.
Global bodies, cloaked in masks of deceit,
Ignored the Nagas, their freedom obsolete.
Yet in the court of John Rawls, my spirit found wings,
His theory of justice, a balm that still sings.
For he saw the Nagas, oppressed and confined,
Like the Jews on that fateful October, maligned.
I dream of Rawls’s wisdom, a beacon in the night,
His words echoing: “Justice is virtue,” a guiding light.
Though he passed on, his legacy remains,
In the struggle for Nagalim, through losses and gains.
“Justice is the first virtue,” he boldly proclaimed,
A truth that fuels my heart, forever unclaimed.
With principles that resonate deep in my soul,
I stand for my people, for freedom, my goal.
“Original Position,” let it guide our way,
Where every voice is valued, come what may.
I embrace his two principles, a vision so clear:
Equal rights for all, to live without fear.
Though I may perish, let Rawls’s spirit soar,
In Nagalim’s embrace, where peace will restore.
Where every life matters, every skin finds its place,
And the shadows of oppression vanish without trace.
Long live the spirit of justice, fierce and bright,
In the heart of Nagalim, reclaiming our right.
For in unity we rise, against the tides of despair,
With Rawls as our guide, we breathe freedom’s air.”
~ Suryaraju Mattimalla