To the Church and Civil Society Organisations

Respected Church and Civil Society Leaders,

We, the aspiring youths of Nagaland, write to you in this hour of great need not with anger, but with deep respect and a heartfelt plea for your attention and support.

You, as the moral pillars of our society, have always held a place of deep reverence and influence. Since the arrival of Christianity in our land, the Church and civil bodies have guided the moral, spiritual, and cultural compass of the Naga people. You have been the protectors of our values, the defenders of justice, and the guardians of truth. History has shown us that great societies thrive when they are built on fairness, transparency, and merit. It is by upholding these values that they endure and it is by these same principles that Nagaland must now move forward.

Today, however, our beloved state stands at a troubling crossroads. Corruption has seeped into the very fabric of our institutions. Favouritism, nepotism, and unjust practices have become dangerously normalized. Most recently, 147 Assistant Professor posts under the Higher Education Department are being absorbed through backdoor appointments, bypassing the rightful process of open and public recruitment.

But today, your own children are rising-not with hate, not with violence, but with courage and hope. We are asking for nothing more than what is fair: a transparent system that allows us to compete, to serve, and to build our future on merit.

Let us tell you who we are – those who have been peacefully protesting for the past three days:

We are the sons and daughters of your congregation members.
We are the children of those who tithe faithfully from their meagre earnings, even when they have so little.
We are not the children of politicians or powerful bureaucrats with access to wealth and privilege.
Our families have sold their last piece of land to educate us.
Our parents struggle to afford even five kilograms of pork during Christmas.
We lack the capital to start businesses, and the connections to bend the rules.
Most importantly we have no voice, unless you choose to speak for us.
So today, we humbly ask: will you stand with us? Will you be our voice, our shield, our parent and our guiding light?

If we are allowed to succeed through merit and hard work, we promise you this: we will give back. We will serve our churches, uplift our villages, strengthen our towns, and work tirelessly for a better, more just Nagaland. But the time is now. This is not just our fight, it is yours too. It is about the kind of future we leave behind. Will it be a system built on injustice and privilege, or one rooted in truth, equity, and integrity?

It is now or never.

With hope in our hearts and faith in your leadership,

We ask you to stand with us for truth, for justice, and for the future of Nagaland.

An Aspirant Cry