NSCN's Odyssey to 'Dhillika'

Mathew Rongmei *

Th Muivah and Isak Swu (leadership of NSCN-IM) - Naga Peace Process

Naga political problem must be resolved without hesitation lest prolonged time germinate a mildew of social malady.

Lately the collective leadership of NSCN-IM flew down from New Delhi after spending days for talks since November last. Media carried what they had to say at the Lounge of Dimapur Airport.

On their arrival, a battery of journalists was permitted only 5 minutes to interview the closely guarded leaders and just one question could be asked before their large entourage escorted them off to Hebron Camp. Avid readers in the next morning were a bit baffled with the genus of news presentation beamed from different corners of northeast and the choice for headlines which intended to give a marketable punch.

It is presumed that the Government of India, ostensibly preoccupied with the electoral preparations, had not come forward satisfactorily to the expectation of the collective leadership who wanted to seal the final deal. Still, as every cloud has a silver lining, Th. Muivah preferred to look on the bright side of this dissatisfying moment with his statement: "We appreciate the difficulties of the Government of India." The decision to resume the talks was then left in the court of the Centre.

Delaying of talks for several years has enough given roots to many unseen negative traits- disunification among factions, social unrest, rampant illegal taxations, feeling of regionalism, hatred, formation of tribal-centric organizations, suspicions and political uncertainty.

Since the beginning of insurgency, Naga national workers objected to be part of India and took to armed struggle and even threatened to cede the land of Nagas to China if forced. When decades of Indian militarism proved futile and instead saw a widespread of outfit's tentacles across the northeast region, a mutual ceasefire was signed.

Indo-Naga talk then doddered on indefinitely for years without seeing the light of the day. The passing of time is gradually overshadowing and taking a toll on this talk. If truth be told, a needle hidden inside the candle will always appear and prick anytime.

Whether the land of Nagas is in India or China, it belongs to the Nagas. If government of India feels the land is within India not forcefully, it must show its political will and resolve the Naga problem without hesitation lest prolonged time germinate a mildew of social malady.

Government of India

There are a couple of questions as to why Indo-Naga talks remain still dormant for so long. Seriousness doesn't take time to resolve problem but insincerity does. My village old man used to tell us when we were small: "A man in deep slumber will wake up and respond when called, but a hypocrite pretending to be sleeping will never respond." Government of India may be serious in words, but its extremely sluggish way of dialogue gives room for doubt that whether it is following a 'policy of frustration and natural death' of Naga political issue or whether it is least concerned with the sentiments of the Naga people.

Remember how Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders threatened suicide in the Lok Sabha this time? They demanded a new country with a new Parliament saying, there is no harm in demanding a separate nation if the Parliament is not concerned with the sentiments of their people. Atleast TDP's voice could be heard inside and outside Parliament through their MPs unlike Indo-Naga political dialogue which is being held only outside Parliament at the convenience of those at the helm of power.

Politicians are politicians, no matter how serious an issue is but they will still profitably use it for their kitty at their democratic convenience either just before election or after election or neither of them depending on the situation in those states where they can turn it to their advantage. They cannot be looked at from ordinary man's eyes. Naga people are known for their patience and goodness, but in this wily world, too good people are often taken for foolish people.

Naga national leaders

Naga national leaders demanded for sovereignty while Government of India offered itself for any kind of negotiation but all under Indian Union. Things at the bargaining table might have slimmed down from both sides but it is yet to come to the logical conclusion. What are the elusive things in the talks that are causing traffic jam? This question is perhaps haunting the minds of varied sections of people and even apprehension to some about the agenda of the negotiating party.

We have seen in the past an instance of how Azheto's party parted ways from NSCN-IM and formed GPRN/NSCN. Perhaps they might have weighed the NSCN-K on one side and NSCN-IM on another side of the weighing scale but found deuce of uncertainty. They might have perceived that Khaplang's interest is confined to his people of Myanmar and Muivah's interest is focused to Naga people of Manipur. Whilst there is delaying approach of the Government of India and strong protests from neighboring states, NSCN-IM is also perhaps not being able to say literally 'the name of a baby which is yet to fully conceive in the womb of a mother.'

Intermediary

I'm made to understand that talks remained inconclusive this time again on two counts- Ensuing Lok Sabha election and resignation of interlocutor RS Pandey who joined BJP to contest. This could always happen because mediator was not from a third country to take up things seriously and accountably. For Pandey, his personal interest is more important than somebody else's or the NSCN's for that matter. In this regard, the role of Forum for Naga Reconciliation led by Dr.Wati at local level is more appreciated than Pandey's, as former's role is a committed mission while latter's is a functional duty.

Instead of completely relying on one-man show of Pandey, the intermediary could have also been a Delegation of Authority comprising a former minister from External Affairs and senior MPs headed by a cabinet minister. This could have ensured inerratic consistency, efficiency and more human resource.

Naga MPs and Leaders

How many Naga MPs and public leaders do we have? In peace process, Government of India has been listening literally from only one ear lent to the counterpart. The ear on the other side is unused. Hence, Naga MPs and public leaders could utilize the unused one to supplement and expedite the ongoing talks and to ensure that the negotiating parties are serious to bring the Indo-Naga peace process to logical conclusion.

When beating of drum on one side is too low for dancers, the other side must also be used to drone the ambience. Then only the dancers and onlookers will be thrilled and revved up to footloose. We have learned examples from Freedom Struggle of India. Indian national leaders both moderates and extremists could not convince the British rulers nor pin them down to their demand for independence until when Mahatma Gandhi who believed in mass movement took along with him in the struggle. Being indifferent or reproachful of Naga political issue will do no good. Political parties need to come together across party-line to honestly facilitate smooth progress of the talks.

Today, we need a Naga Union Minister at the Centre and not a mere unvoiced MP if our political problem is to be addressed. And this needs a mutual understanding, tolerance, political consensus and common strategy at state levels.

Less Maturity and Intolerance in Naga Society

Be it state political parties or be it Naga national leaders or Naga intellectuals, maturity and tolerance which are two basic signs of a civilized society, have not been demonstrated pretty enough in our thought processes and actions that are often reflected in local media. I'm not saying we should restrict arguments in media.

We should certainly argue or share but it should be balanced, constructive and enlightening to every reader. Freedom of expression is, no doubt, our fundamental right but it needs to be exercised responsibly and proportionately. If free speech is misused as hate speech to deliberately hurt someone's or party's sentiments, then it becomes a criminal act. They say, when you mutter too much about somebody, the truth of the story diminishes each time you repeat and your friends will begin to wonder why you say so.

In school, we were taught that in democratic society, a citizen's right ends when his right touches somebody's nose. We all have different roles (as political leaders, church leaders, underground leaders, mediapersons, common men etc.) in democratic set up that are expected to be balanced between rigidity and flexibility.

A man of principle always draws a 'Laxman-Rekha' boundary line in his speech and behavior in a civilized society. Under an atmosphere of maturity and tolerance only ideas can grow, and wherever ideas are, a change and progress will take place. Today, politics has become too serious a thing to leave it with politicians alone for which the Indian Law Commission is religiously working out guidelines for them.

Centre's Dilemma & Anxiety

The Central government is apparently experiencing a 'Pontius Pilate's dilemma' between taking responsibility of decision on Naga Issue and facing protests from neighboring states of Nagaland. There may be possibly mainly three factors among others that are jittering the ongoing talks.

One, the Congress-led government at the centre cannot afford to disappoint its vote banks in Congress-ruled Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by ceding to the demands of the Nagas which will be a costly affair to carve out their claimed ancestral lands from these three states to create a separate Naga homeland. The other two factors could be related to ownership of land and resources like the exceptional Article 371 (A) to present Nagaland and the structure of new governing body.

The Centre is also believed to be hesitant for many years and cannot risk its government to introduce the Naga political issue in the Parliament for discussion as it is apprehensive of rejection by majority. But we have seen this time, what had happened inside and outside Parliament before granting statehood to Telangana carved out from Andhra Pradesh.

Amidst the din Telangana state has become a reality today. The Congress-led government, which already got eggs on the face for its tainted corrupt members, took risk and did it this time for Telangana because its position is unconvincing for the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. Besides, Modi's popularity and AamAdmi Party's wave are threatening the Congress votes.

It is to be noted that during BJP-led NDA government, three states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand were created as late as in 2000. The major opposition Congress party including other political parties did not raise any objection to creation of these new states in the Parliament on that historic occasion. Similarly, this time again, when Congress-led government took the decision to grant statehood to Telangana- India's 29th state, BJP party including other political parties did not raise any objection to it.

This clearly shows that all political parties understand the need to create more new states and union territories to develop a strong and prosperous India in two decades time. There are already demands for statehood in many parts of the country. Government is not really adverse to it. It is only a matter of time, consultation and administrative viability. It would be wrong to imagine that creation of more states would harm or disintegrate the country.

At present, India has a huge population of 1.24 billion with 29 states and seven union territories covering large size of land mass. And in most countries, populations are comparatively smaller than that of most states of India. For instance, Uttar Pradesh is as big as Brazil the world's fifth largest nation. The United States which has the population of only 32 crore has as many as 50 states. Thus, in the light of this fact, we can very well be positive that India will go ahead for more states.

Can India confer Article 371 (A) to larger population of Nagas?

Can Government of India think again of granting special legislative power to larger population of Nagas covering Naga inhabited areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Assam what it had not given to any states of India except present Nagaland in those crucial period of time? The Centre might be now regretting of not being able to retract its previous decision which granted Extraordinary Legislative Powers under Article 371(A) of the Constitution to present Nagaland.

Under this Extraordinary Legislative Powers, Nagaland government has so far passed two resolutions – (1) Exempting application of all Parliamentary Acts relating to Petroleum and Natural Gas to Nagaland and (2) Exempting application of Article 243T relating to women reservation in Municipalities of Nagaland.