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01/25/2009: "On the futility of trying to be an Indian Kaka D. Iralu Morung"

On the futility of trying to be an Indian Kaka D. Iralu Morung

I came back from a journey and read a very interesting article in the Nagaland Post ( Jan 23) under the caption “Oh to be an Indian”, where some of our MLAs with names like Chingwangs and Changs had a tough time in convincing Chinese immigration officers that they were really genuine Indian citizens. I would like to here add a few of my own experiences and also that of some of my friends. Many times, going to foreign countries, I am held up at immigration check points in foreign airports when I present my Indian passport to the immigration officers. They would look at me with great suspicion and say that I am not an Indian citizen. But the more irritating experiences are when I return to Delhi or Kolkata airport and am held up by suspicious Indian immigration officers who would cross examine and interrogate me, saying that I am not an Indian citizen! On two occasions, when I was standing on the Indian citizen’s queue to present my passport for verification, I was told by an immigration officer to queue up in the foreigner’s queue!
Then there is this more interesting story about my friend Dr. Ashikho Daili who teaches in the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. He is also an executive member of an organization called Indian Association for Peace and Friendship with China. On one of his friendship trips to China, deputed by the JNU authorities and the Government of India, he was held up by the Chinese immigration officers for five hours at the airport on the suspicion that he was not an Indian citizen. My friend is very plumb and white and he looks more like a Korean or Japanese then a Naga. The Chinese officer probably suspected him to be a South Korean spy with a false Indian passport trying to spy on China! However, the story did not end there. When he finally returned to India after the conference, he was detained at the Delhi airport for another three hours by the Indian immigration officers on the suspicion that he was a Chinese spy trying to enter India with a false Indian passport!!!!
Our MLAs who went to China recently had an irritating experience because they were carrying Naga faces though they were carrying Indian passports after swearing their allegiance to India. Now the point I want to make here is that trying to live under a false and farcical identity will always get us into trouble wherever we go.
As for me, truthfulness to who I am is a moral, political and historical obligation. Despite all my flaws, I am a Christian and my Christianity demands that I speak and live the truth. This is because I am a follower of Jesus who is “The way the TRUTH and the life.”
As far as I am concerned, truthfulness to who one is, is the most important things in life. To elaborate on what mean; I am Kaka D Iralu of the Meyasetsu Clan of Khonoma Village. I am also an Angami and a Naga. Under this truthful identity, I cannot say or do anything I like, because my actions would implicate my family, my clan, my tribe and my Nation. However if I falsely say I am an Indian then I can say or do anything I like, became my false Indian identity will not implicate my family, clan, tribe or Nation.
The state of Nagaland is founded on the false historical, political and cultural premise that Nagas are Indians and Nagaland is India. Now to expect that something politically or economically beautiful would grow out of this false foundation is no different from planting a thorn bush and expecting that beautiful apple fruits will come out from that thorn bush. Far from beautiful apple fruits growing out of this false thorny bush of a state, what we are harvesting today is corruption, irresponsibility and a decadent law and order system where liars are millionaires and honest people are paupers. I for one refuse to accept such a system or such a future for me and my children.
Fellow Nagas, Let us stop lying and start fighting for the truth that we are Nagas and not Indians because only the truth will set us free from the tyranny of political and economic stagnation and oppression.
Is the Nagaland govt doing anything to check corruption? morungexpress

Some of those who voted Yes had this to say:
• Yes, corruption has decreased tremendously. At least this time, the government is letting some peanuts go from their hands. This is a marked improvement. Before, those peanuts would not even be spared.
• With a more active media and informed public, it is becoming more difficult for politicians and bureaucrats to do whatever they want. It is not like what it was 5 years back. Slowly people are questioning corruption. A few high profile cases of corruption has been exposed recently, but the vigilance department has failed to follow up on it. Even then, people are now getting active against corruption. It will take some time to get rid of it, but I feel the fight against corruption is slowly gaining momentum.

Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• No, I don’t see the government doing anything to check corruption. There were a few instances in which the vigilance dept found some crore of rupees in some engineer's house but there seems to be nothing more than that. Look at what is happening with NU, even the President of India has sanctioned a probe. But the government has not been able to say anything on this, its a shame. It shows that the government has no will at all to check corruption.
• Govt can’t do anything coz Nagaland is ruled by people who are publicly holier than thou and privately big time, high class swindlers, actively involved in society
• Wish they could practice what they preach
• The government machinery are the main tools of corruption
• And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" That’s the only thing that comes to my mind.
• Say that again....what? They have selective hearing/sight/taste. Corruption is alien to them! THUT!
• Government itself is corrupted. What would I expected from such Government.
• What Bullshit Question is this? Can’t u people see that the Government itself is so corrupted? Every year hundreds of Crore is give to Nagaland for progress and development and if the government is not corrupted Nagaland would have been a Top class state by now. BUT the Government itself is so corrupted that we are still a state which is considered poor and under developed. SO NAGALAND GOVRNMENT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO CHECK CORRUPTION RATHER THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF IS THE MOST CORRUPTED GOVENMENT THE PEOPLE OF NAGALAND HAVE EVER SEEN.
• The government itself is corrupt, who do you think is gonna check them.
• If so, we would already seen some of its officials going behind bar..Nothings happening morrungjee...
• The prime example is the govt. officials backing and supporting the most corrupt vc (nu) saying that he is good for the Nagas even after the President of India has initiated a cbi inquiry on him and other officials of nu which is very sad and Nagas deserve better!
• There is no transparency.
• When even the Vigilance dept. itself is corrupted, where and when will it check corruption.
• IF THERE IS NO CORRUPTION AT ALL HOW CAN A DIRECTOR OR ANY OTHER OFFICERS COULD BUILT SUCH HUGE HOUSES AND LOOK AFTER THE NEEDS OF THEIR CHILDREN WITH THEIR SALARY ALONE.

Some of those who voted Others had this to say:
• Cannot draw any conclusion on checking corruption in the state. Of course there are few clean personnel in the office who really fighting against the menace of corruption. It is the people who make official more corrupt. First things citizen should learn to set themselves free from this practices.
• It is not possible to completely stop corruption in Nagaland at this time. But I wish the government would also make some serious attempt to see that the officials acting under their authority are corruption free. Just look at Obama, once he came into office he passed an executive order for a strong ethical code of conduct. I only wish the Nagaland government would learn something from him and implement it.
• To see that corruption is strongly checked in the government, the vigilance department has to get active. The members in the vigilance department should not be political appointees and should be people of high standing integrity and reputation. Most of all they should have the courage to act. As of now, we don’t see the vigilance department possessing the qualities that is required to check corruption. Maybe a citizens watch should be formed.

Poor participation in Bodo National Festival

:From our Correspondent Sentinel
KOKRAJHAR, Jan 24: In the 1st Bodo National Festival, a grand festival of Bodo, Dimasa, Borok and others held at Bagduar Nwgwr, Bijni in Chirang district witnessed the poor participation of people. The 4th session on Bodo “Laithun” and the Book fair were also very thin from the point of participation.
A meeting was held on the Bodo Writers’ Academy and its works on Bodo Literature chaired by the president of the BWA Rakhao Basumatary. The objectives were given by the general secretary of the BWA Dr Subungs Mashahary.
The secretary of the BTC Prafulla Kumar Hazoary inaugurated a discussion on ‘Laithun’. Naba Kumar Brahma, vice president of the BWA, Dhaneswar Narzary, Gwgwm Brahma Kachary, Rajendra Basumatary, Ms Dipali Kherkatary and Dharani Dhar Wary presented their papers on various issues of ‘Laithun’.
In an interaction with some members of the reception committee on the poor participation, they told The Sentinel that there was certain lapses in the reception committee, local primary BSS and Bodo writers’ Academy. They also revealed that there was defective decentralization of powers and works.
The first Bodo festival was held at Serfanguri in Kokrajhar district with a week-long programme in 1997, where Bodo group of people from Nepal, West Bengal and Tripura participated in a large number.
GPRN/NSCN releases 6 rival detainees
A Staff Reporter | EMN
DIMAPUR JAN 22: In what comes as an encouraging goodwill gesture, the GPRN/NSCN today unconditionally released six officials of the NSCN-IM who had been detained by them since December 18, 2008
, while stating in a declaration that the decision to release them had been taken so that Nagas could come together through ‘genuine reconciliation and unity.’
But even as the programme for official release of the detainees was being conducted in the presence of representatives from FNR, Naga Hoho, women associations, NSF and civil societies at designated camp Khehoi, news arrived that an Under Secretary from the GPRN/NSCN, identified as Heito, had been abducted by suspected members of the NSCN-IM. However, to the relief of the gathering, GPRN/NSCN officials exhibited tolerance and said they would not go back on their promise of releasing the six detainees unconditionally with all their ‘belongings intact and in sound mind and health’.
“We have no hidden agenda and we want to show this in action and not by shouting,” Kilonser Alezo stated while advising that this show of clemency should not be considered as a weakness but strength. “This is what the Nagas have been yearning for,” he reminded.
In his short speech, GPRN/NSCN Kilo Kilonser Azheto made clear that the main motive for the release was to ‘stop bloodshed’ among the Naga brothers and also in respect of the reconciliation process initiated by the FNR and the civil societies.
Referring to Khehoi, he said the new camp will not be for any particular group or faction, whether GPRN/NSCN, NNC or NSCN-IM but said ‘this is a camp of peace, reconciliation and unity.’ He also urged upon all to focus on positive aspects and not only on the negative so that peace and reconciliation can be ushered into Nagaland.
Convener of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) Dr Wati Aier maintained that the attitude towards reconciliation and peace has been limited with the thought that it cannot be the most sane approach in context. However, he said the happening at Khehoi camp on Thursday has defied the notion of the impossible. “Nagas see this and draw hope from it, and inspires us to move persistently towards it,” he stated.
Various representatives from the NGOs, and civil societies also expressed appreciation over the release. They also voiced that if all groups, both undergrounds and over-grounds, can uphold the same spirit, then the ultimate prayer of the Nagas for peace and reconciliation and moving past enmities could be achieved.
The released detainees, on their part, assured that they would be sharing the positive experiences at camp Kehoi and also extended gratitude to the GPRN/NSCN authorities for taking the decision to release them unconditionally. The released NSCN-IM members, including two women activists, are Imcha Longkumer, YS Salem, Hutovi, Aphi, Aren and Kuvei.
Those who attended the programme included representative from the FNR, GB&DBs, NWHD, NWUM, ASTD, NSF, JSTD, NMA, WSTH and WSH.
Meanwhile, it was learnt later that the GPRN/NSCN official ‘arrested’ by the NSCN-IM earlier today has been taken to Hebron camp. Informing of this, officials from the GPRN/NSCN said they have in turn ‘arrested’ one Hukaito who they said had ‘run off to Hebron with government properties’.