Renowned Naga writer Kaka D Iralu on Friday lambasted the enforcement of draconian law AFSPA in Nagaland and said that “the Indian democracy under which we are all living today is one where even our very right to life stands nullified through heinous laws like the Armed Forces Special Power act 1958, The Disturbed Area Act 1955 and The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967.”
He was speaking as the resource person at the state level seminar “Nagas in transition: from myth to modernity” hosted by Eastern Christian College (ECC), Padumpukhuri here on Friday.
Iralu stated that for “our” legal rights, even after seven decades of India’s so called democratic rule, the lives of over two hundred thousand Nagas who have died to preserve our ways of life remains uncompensated and unaddressed.
As for “our” legal rights pertaining to day-to-day affairs, Iralu rued that many cases were pending in courts lost in a maze of stay orders where justice was denied and kept in suspension and added that in India, till date, there were over six crores of pending cases.
While dwelling on the land ownership system in Nagaland, Iralu lamented that equal land ownership was today replaced by multimillionaires in our midst, who by collaborating with the invaders of our land have made their millions and now own thousands of acres of prime land.
He said this has been done at the expense of poor villagers who have been compelled to sell their lands to maintain their families.
In his concluding remarks, Iralu while acknowledging that one should not remain living a static past of yesteryear in today’s “global village”, warned of dangerous misadventures in plunging into the modern world without a knowledge of “who we are” and “what we are”.
He further asserted the need for Naga seniors and intellectuals to guide the younger generation into the 21st century, while firmly anchored in “our” unique past and ways of life.
Earlier, the inaugural programme was chaired by assistant professor, department of English, Deena, while welcome speech was delivered by principal, ECC, Sivichan T.Joseph.
Vice chairman, managing board, ECC, Ajungla Longkumer pronounced inaugural speech followed by special number presented by Kipito and friends.
The speakers of the seminar were, assistant professor (HoD) department of political science, ECC (Arts & commerce), D.Athikho, assistant professor, HoD sociology department, C-Edge college, P.Alice Donna, assistant professor (HoD), department of political science, Immanuel college, Sinyhunlo Keppen, assistant professor, department of English ECC, Eneingulou Lasuh, assistant professor, department of English, Baptist college, Kohima, Lhutu Keyho, assistant professor, department of English ECC, Adila Imchen, assistant professor department of English, Baptist college, Kohima, Dr. Sentinaro Tsuren, ICFAI University, Inakali Assumi, M.A (English), assistant professor, HoD department political science, C-Edge college, Aloli H Kinny and assistant professor, department of English ECC, Ratan Chandra Das.