In recent weeks, newspaper headlines have been dominated by yet another wave of corruption allegations and administrative anomalies. As expected, civic organizations have swiftly issued statements, voiced disapproval, and demanded action. This pattern is all too familiar – public outcry led by organizations, followed by silence, inaction, and eventual forgetfulness. But amid all the noise, one thing stands out: the striking absence of individual voices.
While we commend organizations for taking up public causes, the conspicuous silence of citizens themselves reveals a deeper malaise within Naga society. Why are there no individuals speaking up, going to court, protesting in the streets, or holding authorities personally accountable? Is it because individuals in our society have been conditioned to believe they have no voice and no agency beyond the collective? Or is it because many are, in some way, beneficiaries of or complicit in the very system they profess to oppose?
The irony is glaring. Individuals line up to profit from corruption but remain hidden when it comes to resisting it. They rely on organizations, often composed of these same individuals, to fight on their behalf. This paradox renders our anti-corruption efforts hollow, almost farcical. How can justice be served when the accused and the accusers are, at times, one and the same?
True social reform demands more than institutional responses. It requires personal conviction, moral courage, and individual responsibility. It demands that ordinary citizens step forward, speak out, and challenge injustice wherever it appears. Until we nurture a culture where individuals are unafraid to stand up, corruption will continue to thrive behind the veil of collective protest.
Organizations can amplify voices but they cannot replace them. If Naga society truly seeks justice and integrity, then the silence of the individual must end. The fight against corruption is not a responsibility to be outsourced. It is a personal duty we must all bear.
