RPP walkathon culminates after 34-day 980-km round journey across Nagaland

Governance exists only in Kohima and Dimapur’

Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 27

The Rising People’s Party’s (RPP) ‘A Walk to Save Nagaland’ culminated on March 26. The walkathon, a round trip across the state, was also labeled as the beginning of the party’s campaign for the Nagaland Assembly elections in early 2023, was led by its President, Joel Naga.

The team of around 20, who set out from Dimapur on February 21, covering approximately 980km, traversing almost all the districts, except Zunheboto, Tseminyu and Noklak, according to the party.

Addressing a public gathering after reaching Dimapur, today, Naga described the expedition as an eye opener. “Our eyes were opened. We came to the conclusion that there is no governance in Nagaland. It exists only in Kohima and Dimapur. It is not political rhetoric. This is the reality,” he said.

According to him, disenchantment was evident and it was embarrassing to hear the stories of despair from the people they encountered in the remote areas of the state during the course of the 34-day journey on foot. In Tobu, he said that it has been a series of broken promises as the demand of the people for upgrading the sub-division to a district remains unfulfilled even after many years despite the promises of the MLAs, who have been representing them.

He said, “We were of the assumption, Mokokchung would be faring relatively better.” However, he said that going by the road conditions in the Mangkolemba ADC subdivision, it looked like the most backward region in Nagaland, while adding that the foothill road appeared no more than a jungle track, meant only for elephants hauling timber.

Vitho Zao, a senior member of the party, who took part in the walk, said, “Here in Dimapur, we are faring better. In the rural areas, the roads are miserable, there is no water. In Tamlu and Wakching, there are schools but no teachers. There are dispensaries but no medical staff. There are road projects but incomplete. There are people labouring for Rs 100 a day.”

Recounting their experience in Wakching, he said that the village church had to buy water for Rs 1000 just to host them.

The PHED jumped to action after this was pointed out in the media, but he asked, “Why do we have to act only when wrongs are pointed out?”

“The way we elect our leaders, if it doesn’t change, the system will not change. The ugly truth is this: ‘we have taken money to vote in the elections.’ Don’t elect politicians anymore, elect leaders who love the people,” he said.

Convenor of The Naga Rising, Along Longkumer termed the walkathon as demonstrating the vision of the RPP. He said that the party is investing on securing a better future for the children and the youths.

“One day our children will hold us accountable for our failures. The RPP is here today to take corrective measures,” he said, while stating that Nagaland has so much problems and that it is time the people raise their voice in a real and powerful way. “To break corruption we need a people’s revolution through peaceful and clean election. Only then we can bring real and definite change in Nagaland. Here, the people’s participation is paramount.”

Need for border areas dev dept
Later addressing a press conference, the party spelt out some of the measures required. It included the creation of a border area development department to address the needs of the people living in the borders areas, which count among the most neglected areas in Nagaland. At the places, bordering Assam, Joel Naga said that the only economic activity is logging. “There are around 20 saw mills in the Changpang-Merapani sector alone. The threat to the environment is too grave.

In the eastern districts, he noted that the youths have great potential in sports and the setting up of a sports academy in the Mon area would serve to harness the sporting talent of the youths there. In Longching village, he said that the villagers narrated how there have been an exodus of youths from the village to the more developed towns, all for a lack of educational and economic opportunities in the vicinity. Around 400 youths from the village is said to have migrated, some as “child labour” and others as daily wagers over the past few years. In Mokokchung alone, he said there are said to be an estimated 400 youths from Tobu and Aboi working as menial labour or domestic workers.

Terming Aboi as a fast-growing town with 11 schools, he said that the lack of a college is making it a big hurdle, particularly for parents, to send their children to colleges in Dimapur or Kohima. Tuli, which is the home of the famous but now defunct Tuli Paper Mill can become an industrial hub for which connectivity, including rail, needs to improve, he said.

According to him, the Nagas are a good people— Hospitable and good-natured “but we have become sceptical” arising from years of governmental neglect.

Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/rpp-walkathon-culminates-after-34-day-980-km-round-journey-across-nagaland