This
organization used to be a venerable entity that influenced policies and
impacted public activism among Naga communities. Nagaland’s “apex” tribal
organization, the Naga Hoho, is a sad figure today. It has been reduced to
nothing more than a lobbying domestic helper ‘running errands’ (Eastern Mirror, June 12, 2015) for
businesses and regional financial units.
If I recall
correctly, the last convincing statement from the organization was during
209-2010 when it issued an about-400-word press release denouncing the
then-growing allegations of financial impropriety in the government machineries
of the state.
Of course, it
named no one. As usual, even that particular press release came in the
afterglow of intense protests in the state about several thousands of bogus
teachers in the state’s employment (This case–interestingly–cam after years of
another corruption scandal but in another government institution, the Nagaland
Public Service Commission!).
No there, not
here
Naga HoHo’s
decline was in the (own) making for years:
Except for some
overdue brief, non-committal, lukewarm press releases, the Naga Hoho was
nowhere in sight when civilian casualties began to mount during the “ceasefire”
period of 2008-2012 in the wake of clashes between armed Naga underground
activists.
Except for
overdue predictable and hackneyed statements, the Naga Hoho was nowhere in
sight when endless cases of financial mismanagement and public debate against
institutional corruption in the Nagaland government and local governmental
entities surfaced during the years 2009-2013.
The Naga Hoho
was nowhere in sight when there was outrage against corruption and extortion
across Nagaland during 2014 winter and the early part of this year led by the
ACAUT.
The
complicated Naga story
The Naga
narrative is long, convoluted and inexplicable: Civilians have either fallen
during the “peace period” or have been subject to brutalities in the hands of
undergrounds (the media carries the chronicles of it), or have been deprived by
politicians of due benefits; prices of essential commodities continue to rise
in Nagaland; public services are suffering; even recently there was a scam in
the state’s School Education department (as usual, where else?) involving about
12 crores meant for people with disabilities; charges of ‘backdoor’
appointments, bogus appointments and extortion by politicians in the form of
wilful deduction and ‘percentages from developmental funds continue. Free
speech continues to be prostituted by powers that be – led by a servile,
cowering media in Nagaland.
Response
Much water has
flowed down the bridge since then. Frustrated senior citizens formed a
different community representation now known as the Nagaland Tribes’ Council.
Two students’ organizations such as the Sumi, Ao, Rengma and Kyong Students’
Union and the Ao, Sumi and Lotha Students’ Union emerged – they were the
reflections of the new generation’s anger at the old, failed vanguard.
Then, a movement
called the Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT), an organization
born of years of civil and government leaderships’ apathy to the endless
corruption in the state by community, government, and non-state actors that
bled the common people dry.
For decades, the
people of Nagaland used to look up to the Naga Hoho to engage a measure than
the usual set of pompous, empty lip-service. Today, the once venerable and
influential Naga Hoho is reduced to nothing more than a lackey, a grovelling
group of glorified opportunists “running errands” for business interests and
groups.
The Naga Hoho - based in Nagaland's capital Kohima town - was not there when the people needed them. But they were ready to fly all the way to Delhi to lobby for an office of the State Bank of India.
They were around to passionately denounce the injustices being committed against the common people of Nagaland by corrupt leaders and organizations for decades. But the organization is ever ready to lobby for some bank!
I do not need to be told that having a deputy manager's post in Nagaland is important for local commercial establishments. But the reflection of opportunism in the organization's engagement appears too blatant to be for egalitarian reasons.
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Leaders of the Naga Hoho seen here with Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Delhi, June 15
|
On June 12, a delegation
of the Naga Hoho led by its president P Chuba Ozukum met the Union Minister of
Finance Arun Jaitley in his official chambers.
In a signed “memorandum”,
the Naga Hoho leaders urged upon Union Minister to ‘restoration’ the State Bank
of India Deputy General Manager’s offices in Dimapur! The manager’s office was
shifted to Jorhat in Assam in 2013.
What can the
common Naga and the modern educated Naga mind do or say to such poverty of a
once venerable beacon of hope?
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