Nagas sing with Lennon: Give peace a chance

**Samudra** · 17 Jan 05,, 08:19

Nagas sing with Lennon: Give peace a chance

KOHIMA: Give peace a chance, sings John Lennon as Nagaland tries to writhe into a new shape at the Dream Cafe. Young boys in bright bandanas and college girls in low-cut jeans congregate around a graffiti splattered wall, writing poems and songs. Hope wraps itself around vapoury wisp floating over coffee and every hot pizza comes with a promise of change.

After five decades of one of the fiercest insurgencies in the country — those who first participated in anti-India campaigns here are grandfathers today — there is another revolution sweeping through Kohima, perhaps even Nagaland, and you can feel it at the Dream Cafe.

Sweeping back his Richard Gere hair Theja Maru, the cafe's 30-year-old owner, says that he is confused about what is happening around him. "I am confused about the political developments, but I know that priorities for most of us have changed," he says. "Ask me about the future of my ravaged state and I will tell you that we can still make it."

Leaving aside better opportunities in "mainland India" Ketho, 23, has decided to help out Theja in his vision of Nagaland. The first event manager in the state Ketho, who passed out from Pune's Ferguson College, says she realises some think her choice of a career, that too in Nagaland, to be crazy. "But I believe in the power of music and dance. Happiness does bind people. We have seen pain and suffering, how about some serious fun now."

Atou Liezietsu, 25, would love to own what he says is a "nice, long car, the ones you find people driving around Colaba." Hoping for a career in journalism in Delhi or Mumbai, Atou says, "I understand that questions about nationality and identity are still large in people's mind. But everyone wants progress, to see Nagas developing as any other people in India and competing with them. I think that would be at the top of my agenda."

**lemontree** · 17 Jan 05,, 08:55

It will not take long for Nagaland to become like Mizoram. After the peace accord MNF (Mizo national front) gave up the armed struggle and have built up Mizoram in to peaceful place. The north-east is a beautiful place with lovely people.
The MNF was deadlier that any of the Jihadis oufits in J&K, they were considered better than the LTTE.

**Samudra** · 17 Jan 05,, 09:15

Sir
You have repeatedly stated that the NE insurgents are far more deadly than JK Jehadis.

Does it come from their race ( i assume , they are mostly tribals and are yet to abandon their fighting skills , esp in their home 'terrain' ) or is it the kind of training they recieve ?

More importantly , am i wrong in assuming that they did not ,so far, rub the local people the wrong way like the jihadis have done in JK ? There is something far more genuine about NE insurgent than the Jihadi i wonder !

I have heard that their booby traps are very lethal.
If you were ever posted in NE , it must have been very very challenging indeed. !
I however , being a fool , am planning a vacation to NE !

**lemontree** · 17 Jan 05,, 13:24

Originally Posted by SamudraGupta

Sir
You have repeatedly stated that the NE insurgents are far more deadly than JK Jehadis.

Does it come from their race ( i assume , they are mostly tribals and are yet to abandon their fighting skills , esp in their home 'terrain' ) or is it the kind of training they recieve ?

They are deadly for the following reasons:-
- They are born hunters. They can live of the land for extended periods of time.
- The are excellent in jungle/field craft.
- The got their initial training from the PLA and are well conversant in the communist doctrine of guerilla warfare.
- All their strikes are against the army/police, with superior numbers to achive compete victory, especially in ambushes. If a column of 100 troops are passing their ambush is layed by 300 men, a high volume of fire is brought down on the target and nearly every one is trapped in it. Surviving those ambushes is impossible.
- Excellent intelligence network.

Originally Posted by SamudraGupta

More importantly , am i wrong in assuming that they did not ,so far, rub the local people the wrong way like the jihadis have done in JK ? There is something far more genuine about NE insurgent than the Jihadi i wonder !

Their struggle is justified. The mistake committed by Nehru's govt was to leave them to their own way of life as the British had done.
The missionary schools had brought about a high level of education and knowledge of rights amongst the people. They felt neglected and maginalised compared to other parts of Assam.
They took up arms to demand their rights.
Weapons were not a problem due to WW2 store hidden in the jungles.
Are you aware that in 1966 Aizawl was bombed by IAF Gnats, due to uncontrolable militancy by MNF at that time.
But today Mizoram is a model of aspirations of the people being addressed. We have Rajiv Gandhi to thank for this.
Nagaland will follow up soon.

Originally Posted by SamudraGupta

I have heard that their booby traps are very lethal.
If you were ever posted in NE , it must have been very very challenging indeed. !
I however , being a fool , am planning a vacation to NE !

I was never posted there, but I lived there as my father was posted there. I studied in Aizawl for some time.
Yes their booby traps are lethal, we are taught how to make them in Cdo wing and Jungle warfare school.
Don't worry, the north-east is safe apart from a few places in Manipur and Nagaland. Shillong is considered the Scotland of the east, its very beautiful and peaceful and so is Mizoram.
Remember only one thing, just to be on the safe side, don't mess with their girls.

**Samudra** · 17 Jan 05,, 13:36

Sir
Thanks for your insights.
Some time back i remember reading about them insurgents , their booby traps and ambushes.So very true !

Funny, only today read about Rajiv Gandhi initiating state-hood upon Mizoram.
And sir , one VERY important thing that i choose to look today , is that their voter turn out rates are VERY VERY HIGH.

The least i could find was 70.5% ! It stands true for most North East states.
Speaks volumes about the sentiments of the people there.
Some times the voter turn outs in the elections are 85-90% !

I dont remember such high turn outs anywhere in India.

Sir , you are so very discouraging.I am just talking to one girl from Manipur.She has come all the way from there to south to study in a engineering college.

GoI and local political babus HAVE to tap the infinte potential for tourism North East offers.So much wild life , so much hills , so much waters.....PERFECT..

and yet , mostly ignored.

**Jay** · 17 Jan 05,, 14:36

Actually a lot of good colleges in TN have NE students. They have this 5% quota every alternate year in those colleges. We had couple in our seniors batch, pretty funny guys.

**Karthik** · 17 Jan 05,, 15:12

Many guys from the NE study in Bangalore too. And trust me, they are awesome when it comes to playing the guitar.

**lemontree** · 18 Jan 05,, 05:39

Originally Posted by Karthik Dinakar

Many guys from the NE study in Bangalore too. And trust me, they are awesome when it comes to playing the guitar.

They use to have rock/pop concerts in Aizawl even before any other cities in India.
The north-east is the land of the 3 Gs The Gun, Girl, and Guitar.

**amit** · 03 Feb 05,, 04:09

I checked Mizoram's literacy rate, it is a whopping 89%! If Nagaland ends it's insurgency, then the Naga government can also put more money into infostructure and education. And who knows? Maybe the CBS show Amazing Race will go to Nagaland and give racers an unexpected view of the diversity of India!

**Samudra** · 03 Feb 05,, 04:28

lemontree
Whats your take on the latest (long running) peace process with the Nagas ?

I hope , sir ,that the Nagas are quite happy now with what they have.

**lemontree** · 03 Feb 05,, 05:10

Originally Posted by SamudraGupta

lemontree
Whats your take on the latest (long running) peace process with the Nagas ?

I hope , sir ,that the Nagas are quite happy now with what they have.

The Naga problem is compounded by the 2 diffrerent factions NSCN of communist and secular. It all depends on what power pakage the two factions get. Right now there is a problem as insurgency is a roaring business. To stop that the leaders of these factions, they have to be given a decent package.
If any one of the factions gives in and surrenders arms and the other faction is unsatisfied, there could be a power coup and the unsatified faction could eliminate the members of the satisfied faction.
So there is a tight rope that is to be walked by out home ministry babus. They need to be pragmatic and should influence the politicians with the right decisions.

**Karthik** · 03 Feb 05,, 08:28

Originally Posted by lemontree

They use to have rock/pop concerts in Aizawl even before any other cities in India.
The north-east is the land of the 3 Gs The Gun, Girl, and Guitar.

Hehehe.Sir, If the people in my college are anything to go by, then I'm not so optimistic about the middle G

.

**lemontree** · 04 Feb 05,, 05:02

Originally Posted by Karthik Dinakar

then I'm not so optimistic about the middle G

.

Exceptions are always there. You are in B'lore, right?
How is the crowd in Brigade Road?...Doyou hang out there,...or does your tongue hang out/

**Karthik** · 04 Feb 05,, 06:01

Well yeah, its a great place, is brigade road. Real treat for the eyes if you ask me.

As for my tongue hanging out, I'll leave this at that, lol. You know what, there's no other place I'd rather be on a saturday night apart from MG and brigade road.

But these days, chances are you'll bump into someone on Brigade road and start ogling at them instantly, only to discover later what true mundaneness is really like and what a dunderhead you were .

**Samudra** · 04 Feb 05,, 08:31

Karthik

You are wrong in your assumption.
Just yesterday i happened to see ......

If everything goes well , come friday morning i will be in Bangalore along my pals...

We spend one day for air show and the following weekend in M.G and Brigade roads and a few more intresting places....

I might need your help !
But do check PM.....