The issue of granting autonomy to Nagaland

Kambam Ibohal Singh *

The recent disclosure by the Union Home Secretary Gk Pillai (23rd Aug 2009) about India Govt's intention to prepare a project to delegate more power to Nagaland by granting autonomy which entails cultural, social and financial aspects with necessary amendments of Indian Constitution is a great concern for the whole North Eastern India.

While granting autonomy to Nagaland the status of other States of the region would be a disappointing one causing immense distrust of North East policy amongst the people.

The people of Manipur had already experienced such unjustified treatment in early sixties when Nagaland attained Statehood in 1963 whereas just after ten years Manipur attained in 1972. During this ten years period the people of Manipur, the youths in particular were subjected to acute hardship due to undevelopment and unemployment.

In the context of development in the fields of infrastructure, procurement of food grains, health care, education etc Manipur was far behind Nagaland for want of fund. More and more funds were made available and sanctioned a number of planning and schemes to appease the obstinate Naga Hostiles. There was undisclosed and unexpressed dissatisfaction amongst the youths of Manipur and now the State and Central Govts are facing the wrath.

The insurgents in the whole North East India is due to wrong policy and discriminate approach of Central Govt. Autonomy to any of the States would bring more dangerous impact that every State in India may ask for more power and special status.

Such partiality favouring a particular group or community on the part of Indian Govt for solution to any problem would not be acceptable specially to the immediate neighbouring States.

The ongoing Cachar Hill ethnic violence is also an outcome of the Central Govt's short sightedness. The armed outfit - Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) is another seed of insurgency sown by Delhi Govt.

To please the Nagas, the Central Govt gifted Dimapur to Nagaland disregarding the possible consequences that may arise in such areas of multicommunities. The Dimasas legitimately demanding return of Dimapur which was once Capital of Dimasas Kingdom.

The demand of DHD includes decration of Dimaraji State with Dimapur as State Capital. Like Bodo tribes, DHD is not satisfied with the grant of Autonomous District Council status. Their political demand should be taken care of at the highest level, DHD has claimed. Naga's interest in NC Hills is well known strategy of unification of Nagas inhabited areas.

A long twelve years of talk with NSCN(IM) without any tangible result or solution is also one of the steps taken on purpose allowing the NSCN leadership to carry on tactic for unification of Naga inhabited areas for greater Nagalim through unscrupulous and ostentatious frontal organisations.

Measures taken by the organisations include signature campaign to get signed the Naga integration memo by the hill MP's, Minister and MLAs for submission to the Prime Minister of India, the Naga students of Manipur were induced to appear matric examination under Nagaland board, burning of text books prescribed by the Manipur Govt, imposition of economic blockade for 52 days against Manipur integration, formation of new political party, PDA for hill areas and so on.

But everything ended in futility. Extortion and tax collection in all forms are done right under the nose of Central Govt agencies and monitoring cells. The suffering and sorrows of the people due to direct and indirect taxes are overlooked by the Govt of India.

Nevertheless the people of Manipur would never succumb to any pressure from any one—Central Govt or NSCN(IM). The inseparable relation between the hill and valley people of Manipur cannot be ignored. Since 33 AD Manipur had been a consolidated kingdom with demarcated boundary comprising all the scattered tribals habitations.

The consolidated kingdom, the ancient Manipur stretched over the whole modern Manipur with hill and valley people since time of consolidation. It would be funny to forget the ancient Manipur in which people of all communities had been settling for so long period.

Territorial unification of Naga inhabited area is highly impossible because it involves territorial demand from neighbouring States. It is birth right and bounden duty of every Manipuri to defend and protect the boundary and uphold the integrity of the erstwhile Kingdom or modern Manipur existing for about 2000 years.

The unity of the people of Manipur is unquestionable. The integrity would never be compromised at the cost of Manipur.

The LTTE failed to achieve a peaceful solution, lost every chance of fulfilment of their legitimate demands and finally was forced to accept defeat at the hands of Sri Lankan Army.

Now is the time for NSCN(IM) to find a solution of Indo-Naga conflict at the earliest to avoid any untoward consequence. It would find it more difficult to fall back into the old method/way of struggle to achieve sovereignty and unification of Nagas.

The way towards independence has been narrowed down to the extent of having no alternative way ahead before reaching the desired destination, the unattainable demand at the cost of hundreds of thousand of innocent lives. Now forceful pressures from the Govt of India are round the corner and the time would come to acknowledge 'better break than bend'.

Guided by the vested interest some natives of Manipur tend to migrate to the neighbouring States or better places alleging ill-treatment by the majority community and intolerably oppressed, perpetrated and deprived. Their departure would have no emotional deep impact but would get rather relieved from misguiding and poisoning the younger new generation to come.