The nascent Central Nagaland Students’ Association (CNSA) can be a bridge between the other Naga communities, said secretary finance and Land Resources, Kikheto Sema, while addressing the 3rd General Conference & Cultural Exchange Programme of CNSA at Wokha village on November 20.
He said the objective of forming the CNSA was not to further divide Naga society but to act as a bridge and a peace broker among the Naga communities. He said today Naga society was battered with divisions and disunity, and he urged the CNSA members to be a bridge and an agent of peace and unity through which Nagaland can progress and become a self-reliant State.
CNSA, which has representatives from the Ao, Sumi and Lotha tribes of Nagaland, held the event under the theme “Towards a self-reliant society.” Several hundreds of students attended the two day conference hosted by the Lotha Students’ Union at Wokha village from November 19-20.
Kikheto added that CNSA can help eradicate divisions and disunity in society so that it can mutually work for progress of the State.
On the State’s natural resources, he said the wealth of the State could be explored and harvested with collective effort. The State is blessed with rich natural resources, he remarked adding that due to divisions among Naga communities, people are unable to tap such resources and become self-reliant.
“Lands are fertile but our heads are empty” he said. He asked people to learn from each other and tap the rich resources of the State. “Accept responsibilities and be self-reliant” he told the students.
He lamented that although “peace” and “unity” have become catchwords of the Naga people, in reality, some people have further created divisions in society, adding that the Church, civil societies, the government and the public have failed.
Kikheto also laid partial blame on the Central Government for not giving adequate attention to the North East which, he said, is endowed with much resource and could become the most progressive region in the country.
Kikheto also dwelt on the genesis of the Naga movement where he mentioned things like the Naga involvement in World War I, Simon Commission in 1929, Naga leaders’ meeting with Mahatama Gandhi before the British left the Indian sub-continent, declaration of Naga Independence on August 14, 1947.
He said the political conflicts between the Government of India and the Naga leaders under NNC began when the latter conducted a plebiscite in 1951. He also spoke about how the Nagas suffered during to the conflicts — Their granaries and villages were burnt down, many of their parents and grandparents died and many had to run for safety to the jungles for days, weeks and even months in the 1950s. They continued to suffer in the 1960s too, he said.
A visibly emotional Kikheto also remembered his own parents’ sufferings and struggles.
He pointed out that Nagaland was created out of a political exigency and through shedding of blood, but he expressed regret that many had not realised the truth, and often Article 371 (A) of the Constitution of India is misused to suit selfish motives, which hampers development on many fronts. He said statehood was born with the collective effort of all sections of people, including landless people. But Article 371(A) has been misinterpreted by the landowners, which has become main obstacle for progress of the State. “Statehood was not brought by landowners alone; there were thousands of landless people who had sacrificed their lives for the cause of our people. Statehood was through the collective effort”, Kikheto said.
He asked people not to misuse the Article if they want Nagaland to progress.
“You are the heart of the Nagas,” he said and urged the Nagas under the Central Nagaland Tribal Council (CNTC) to bridge the gaps among them. Ao Senden president, Chubawati also spoke on the occasion.
The two day conference was also attended by senior leaders from Lotha, Ao and Sumi apex organisations.