Will Nagaland Survive The NPG's and the IBI Nexus?

We Nagas are known for our hospitality but considering the situation we are in today perhaps we have been too kind and today we are plagued with outsiders surpassing our own population and the dire threat which we are facing is the increasing number of ‘ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI IMMIGRANTS'. Over the years, the influx of IBI’s has greatly increased and if compared tribe wise, the population of the IBI's far surpasses our population. Moreover, the crimes committed by them has reached its maxim and they dare to continue with their sinister designs on us in our own land just because we choose to remain ignorant. We are being threatened and killed. Our daughters molested and raped. Our children kidnapped and trafficked. We are being robbed in the daylight. Whenever any outsider commits a crime, instead of leveling serious actions against them we pat them on their back and grants them freedom by expelling them from our land. Is this justified?

They are not only densely populated but they have even penetrated into our markets to monopolize it at their behest. In fact, they are the one who brought the syndicate system in our markets with the help of NPG's. With Kalashnikov's and M-20's backing them, who would dare to say anything to them? These group of people has created a fear psychosis in our minds. Just take a stroll in and around Hazi Park, Newmarket area and other corners of Dimapur and you'll feel like you've landed in their land. The entire populace consists mostly of illegal Miya's thriving the marketplace using every fraudulent means to cheat the local people especially those coming from the remote areas by charging huge sums of money in return for transferring few files from their computers. I vividly remember an incident where they almost tricked me, I had a problem with my cell phone and I took it to Hazi Park to repair it. No doubt they skillfully repaired it but what I didn’t know was that they distorted some system and upon going home I found that there was a problem again with my phone, I went back again and they gave me a very good explanation and charged me Rs.500 to repair it. Frustrated and disappointed I went back home and then someone guided me to go to a mobile repairing shop at Supermarket which is owned by a local entrepreneur and to my surprise, my mobile was repaired and it cost me Rs.50 only. Sadly those entrepreneurs are either not encouraged or do not have enough money to start a business of their own. And the saddest part is the subsidies meant for them are diverted to those kids from rich and influential family and not forgetting our very own NPG’s who are ever ready to drop their demand slip at the front door demanding half of what the entrepreneurs earn. In such case how are we supposed to progress? Besides, it would be incomplete if I do not mention the role of some local gundas who are always present at every nook and corners of Hazi Park ever ready to back those miyas in case any untoward eventuality arises.

It is indeed very embarrassing and saddening to see our sisters and daughters marrying off with those illegal miyas. As a result of which, the one who came to serve us becomes the masters of our land. We are left with no choice but to accept them as our in-laws and in the long run, they bring their entire family from Asom and Bangladesh to our land. It should be kept in mind that this is also one of the key reasons for the population explosion. These groups of people have also acquired huge tracts of land in many parts of Dimapur. In our society, where the rich and influential are always revered, the illegal miyas who came to our land with begging bowls have transformed into influential businessman having connection with both political leaders and national workers. In such case, who would dare to point finger at them? Seems like our so-called freedom fighters have become their Godfather.

In the wake of the murder of one of its member by the cultivators settled in the area. Certain resolutions were adopted during the 1st Assembly session of Khaghaboto Area Students' Union and the same forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner and Additional Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur for kind consideration. Following were the resolutions: 1. To debar the entry of kith and kin of the cultivators to our land. Only the cultivators will be allowed to settle in the land and their sole purpose will be cultivation and will not subject to enjoy any other provisions. 2. To limit the use of cell phone to only one per family. 3. Movement of the cultivators to be limited till 7 P.M. 4. To review the electoral list and in case of any anomalies detected regarding the inclusion of the cultivators, their names will be scrapped off from the electoral list. 5. To seize the Voter ID of the cultivators and to issue ID card to the cultivators settled in the area. These are some provisions which others can emulate as well.

The recent formation of Survival Nagaland by intellectuals, social workers, writers and church workers is indeed a great achievement especially in this era of criticisms and subjugation meted out to us particularly by our own leaders. Our God has truly heard the prayer of the masses and God forbid our leaders to remain silent at this crucial juncture. For too long, we have been under the shadows of ignorance and today when we are on the verge of seeing a silver lining; there are some people who are against this movement. Like ACAUT this has been the aspiration of the sons of the soil and those who are against this movement are directly against the wishes and aspirations of the Nagas and should be labeled as Anti-Naga. People with ulterior and selfish motives don’t deserve a place in our society which is drifting towards living a congenial life.

If we do not tackle this issue with utmost concern, it would be like preparing ourselves to open the Pandora's Box which will eventually lead to the extinction of our race. If we continue with our lackadaisical attitude at this rate, it wouldn't be long for us to face the same fate as the Tripurese who are now a minority in their own land. I wholeheartedly express my unflinching support to Survival Nagaland movement which has been started to check the influx of illegal immigrants and redress our grievances. Keeping in view the sensitivity of this issue, we ought not to rush ourselves in flushing the illegal miyas by thrashing every Tom, Dick and Harry we come across but carefully examine the situation and come out with a master plan so that communal lines are not disturbed.

The legacy laid down by the 'LAND OF PIONEERS' is truly commendable and others should also follow suit. If the people of Mokokchung can flush out the illegal miyas from their place and is still able to survive, why can't we as a whole eradicate those illegal group of people from our land once and for all? We cannot expect God to come down from Heaven and make things right for us nor can we expect positive results from the illiterates. It is the duty of the educated lots to make sure that we are secured at least in our own land and for that, we need to cultivate dignity of labor and every individual will have to contribute their part.

Now that we have started this movement, there should be no turning back, so that we don't live with regrets in the days to come.

Godspeed to those who are in for a just cause.