Free and Fair Election in Nagaland

By R.B. Thohe Pou *

The time has come for the Nagas to decide whom to elect. It is the high time for the Nagas to vote for the right party in Nagaland.

If the people vote for the wrong party, the Naga people will suffer for a long period of five years. When you enjoy your life with peace and prosperity, you do not know how the year passes. But in suffering, one year seems to be like one decade.

Once again the Naga underground have assured not to involve in State election. They may need the trust of the Naga people.

Shall we trust them? We cannot evaluate the right party from the viewpoint of central government. The BJP or Congress may do an excellent task in the center. But when it comes to State, the ground reality is difference.

Not all the BJP or Congress ruling party in center is good or bad. It depends on the ruling party (leaders) in the state and the people of the state only know their ace political leaders.

The influence of the central government leaders and threat from different Naga factions in Nagaland should not be affected to the public to vote the right party in Nagaland election. It is the high time for the Nagas to vote for the right party who will serve and work for the development of the state.

Nagaland State receives very high annual budget from the central government every year and it should be reached to the grass root level. The different factions of the Nagas may threaten the public and canvass to vote for their own choice.

But the public should vote for the right party that would suite for the Nagas to run the Nagaland State peacefully. If the people vote the wrong party (leader) due to threat by different factions, the future of the Nagas is very dark; we can expect in the future only bloods and skulls.

We considered that the Nagas are in this modern world leaving all the ancient feuds of headhunting. But today the situation of ground reality is resembled to those days of headhunting.

Many candidates in Nagaland were happy as the Naga underground had assured that they would not involve in the forthcoming state election. However some of the candidates are suspicious because the underground had involved earlier in last election even after their Press Release assuring not to involve in state election.

When you make New Year resolutions and break it within a month - it shows only human weaknesses. But promising not to involve in election and getting involve in election canvassing shows no dignity and integrity of the organization.

If the Naga undergrounds would have keep silent and do not promise that they would not involve in State Election, the common people or Naga leaders might have not been annoyed. But involving in the State Election after promising not to involve in State Election shows their hypocrisy and restrict the free and fair election.

It seems the Naga underground were compelled not to involve in State Election and they seem gave a Press Release promising not to involve in State Election. But why do we need to make a promise when we break it intentionally?

Will you arrest the voters on the day of casting vote or will you give them the right to cast their vote? Let the Naga people trust in your promises or assurances. The Nagas underground involving in State Election through muscle power is giving a very bad reputation in recent years.

Who will against you for involving in State Election if you would have not assured that you would not involve in State Election? You have got every right to involve in State election like any other Naga.

If you want to involve in Indian sponsored politics, no one can stop you but compromising its principle by participating in the election conducted under the Indian constitution may show your true color.

We the Nagas seriously need to practice what we preach and write. If we don't want to practice what we preach and write, we should be a silent spectator in every aspect of our life. It is injudicious to fool ourselves by losing the trust of others. It would be wiser to loss your candidates by winning the trust of the people than winning your candidates by losing the people trust on you.

For many years - the Nagas suffered due to inter-tribe and village headhunting. Under the British colonization, the Nagas again suffered. After the British rule, the Indian government subdued the Nagas and the Indian armies harassed the Nagas in many aspects.

However the worst threat to the Naga people now is the internal threat and problem. We need to evaluate the past ruling party what they have done for the Nagas. Also we need to see the prospect for the new government to be formed after the election.

We the Nagas need a strong leader who can lead the Nagas in the right track to solve the long pending Indo-Naga problem.

The present Assembly election in Nagaland may help the development, peace and unity in Nagaland. We have got every right to vote the right candidate without intervention from the factional groups.

As we live under one of the biggest democracy countries in the world - let the entire world know and learn from Nagaland through a fair and free election. Voting for a candidate with gun point and money power will deteriorate and elevate the present problem in Nagaland.

In this modern society - the dictatorship philosophy to subdue with muscle power is obsolete. Let there be fair and free election in Nagaland. Let us pray and work with broad-mind for the welfare of the Nagas as a whole and not only for the benefit of an individual or a particular faction.

Let the people decide and vote their right candidate for the right party to have a better government and peace in Nagaland after the election.

*** NB: This article was written before the Assembly Election of 2008 in Nagaland...