Talk offer from six Naga outfits : Delhi should take all along
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 15 2017 -

Ready to talk and surely this may be taken to mean that this is the cascading effect of the ongoing peace talk between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India.

Intrinsic in the offer to hold political dialogue with the Government of India is the acknowledgement of the ongoing political dialogue between the NSCN (IM) and New Delhi and this is a point which should not blow over the heads of the two entities.

The six groups may not enjoy the political leverage of the two dominant outfits, the NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K), but ignoring their offer to talk would amount to ignoring to address the political issue of the people of Nagaland.

It is this which should be acknowledged by all concerned, particularly the two Naga outfits and the Government of India.

As reported, the six Naga outfits are the NNC/FGN, GPRN/NSCN (popularly known as the Unification group), NNC (parent body), NSCN (R), NSCN/GPRN (N/A), NPG/NNC (N/A) and while none of them may match the fire power and influence of the NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K), it is important for the Government of India to remember that they still represent some section of people of Nagaland.

Such an offer to talk will make the peace process in Nagaland all that more inclusive, if and when the Government of India reciprocates positively.

Such an offer can also have an impact on the other North East States and if the BJP led Government at New Delhi take cognizance of this point, it can earn a lot of positive vibes from the people of the region.

It also remains that merely offering to talk may not be enough and here it becomes important for the Working Group to pool in their resources and see how it can reach out to the Government at Delhi and Kohima.

Moreover how well do the six Naga outfits go along with the civil society organisations and the people is a question that is important.

Reach out not only to New Delhi and Kohima, but also to the people.

Being the parents of insurgency in the North East region, the NNC will be well placed to understand this point.

It is this development which should not blow over the head of the BJP led Government at New Delhi.

Nagaland will be going to polls next year and perhaps this is the best time for New Delhi to demonstrate that it is ready to take all sections of the people along politically and give credence to the oft repeated observation that all issues can be settled through dialogue.

It is also important for all outfits to come to the point that peace process should not only mean the guns going silent but also removing the fear psychosis from the minds of the people and this is something which can be achieved only when all the cadres are instructed in no uncertain terms that they do not have the right to throw their weight around.

Ultimately the final aim of all dialogue should be about resolving issues and ensuring peace for the people who they claim to represent.