"Framework agreement" on the limelight again
- Imphal Times Editorial :: July 08 2017 -

Accord, framework, unique history, interlocutor, sovereignty, contiguous, collective leadership- terms the people of the state, and more of those of other states in the North Eastern part of the country have been trying to make head or tail of for too long.

The so called Naga accord, entered on August 3 of this year yet again after 40 years when, on November 11, 1975, then Nagaland Governor L P Singh signed what came to be known as the “Shillong Accord” with six representatives of the Naga rebels in the capital of Meghalaya.

Any rationally thinking individual would naturally start questioning what four decades of talking and dialogues have done to change the previous state of affairs or ‘status quo ante’.

It is also incomprehensible, and remains to be seen, as to how the government of India would step outside the constitution of the country to negotiate terms with the NSCN-IM rebels as per their demands.

This clearly indicates that the ‘collective leadership’ of the NSCN-IM had made the representatives of the Indian government, either through coercion or conviction, to recognise ‘Nagas’ as a separate entity parallel to the ‘Indian’ entity.

It would prove rather unfortunate and myopic, not to mention catastrophic, if the Government of India or its Interlocutor who is by definition a person who takes part in formal discussion of conversation, sometimes as a go-between, decides to wrap up the protracted issue without giving due consideration to the concerns of those whose rights and realms stand to be violated.

Further, it would be interesting to sit back and watch how the Indian government would concede to granting ‘sovereignty’ to one of its subject states.

Perhaps it would prove to be a blessing in disguise for other groups waiting and watching in the wings- even if it would lead to the beginning of the disintegration of the erstwhile Indian republic.

Every part and member constituting the present Indian subcontinent has their own peculiar and diverse history. It would be plain narcissistic to claim a particular region or state’s history as ‘unique’ and nothing more- period.

It is high time to take a cold hard look into the facts and accept the obvious reality.

The cloud of secrecy engulfing the contents of the peace accord needs to blown away and the details be revealed before things take a nasty and unfortunate turn which will negate all efforts- if any were really made.

To prevaricate on the issue will only prolong the suffering and insecurity of the people in the region.

It would invariably lead to fomenting distrust and suspicion amongst the different communities coexisting in the region for centuries. It is time for the Government of India to come clean and put an end to the stalling game.

It is also time for all of us to come together and make sincere effort to solve our problems instead of delegating it to a third party whose interests and understandings of our way of life is limited.