Unique Naga Solution Mulled

NISHIT DHOLABHAI | The Telegraph

New Delhi, Oct. 15: A settlement with the NSCN (Isak-Muivah), possibly early next year, could require the imposition of a benign President’s rule in Nagaland before an “interim” government is put in place and the state given a J&K-like separate flag.

Reaching what is hoped to be the final phase of deliberations with the NSCN (I-M), the Centre is understood to be now clearing the decks.

The settlement will be followed by consultations with other Naga rebel groups to accommodate their demands, the sources said.

The negotiations with the NSCN (I-M) had begun after a ceasefire was signed in July 1997.

If indeed the vexed problem ends, it will be the end of India’s oldest living insurgency and bring into the mainstream one of the most powerful outfits in the Northeast.

Sources said a demand by Nagaland legislators of an interim government might require central rule for a while before a “Naga government” is put in place.

However, a consensus on this is pending.

They said as part of the agreement, Nagaland would get a separate “state flag” on the lines of the red flag of Jammu and Kashmir, the Assembly will be renamed “Tatar Hoho” and a pan-Naga social body will be formed, all of which would require an amendment to the Constitution.

The sources said the Centre could make additions to Article 371A that grants special status to Nagaland, with borrowed ideas from Article 370 that governs Jammu and Kashmir, pending a consensus by various parties on these issues.

Former interlocutor K. Padmanabhaiah said, “There is a choice of either expanding Article 371A or adding another part specifically on Nagas to the Constitution.”

For renaming the Assembly, the Centre will enhance State List of the Constitution by bringing in subjects from the Central List and Concurrent List to “reflect the uniqueness of the Nagas” as promised by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, sources said.

The vital question of “decommissioning of weapons” that was debated hotly among NSCN cadres is understood to have been resolved.

Sources said the few thousand cadres of the outfit might be absorbed into the army’s Naga Regiment and into paramilitary forces.

Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today received a group of 19 Nagaland legislators led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio here to discuss possible modalities to a conclusion of the talks with the NSCN (I-M). Rio and others later called on NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah at his temporary residence on Lodhi Road.

Earlier this year, all Nagaland legislators had met the Prime Minister and home minister offering to step down for a solution and wanting an interim government with rebels, civil society members and politicians. “I am hopeful and we want it done before the elections,” Rio told The Telegraph today. Elections in Nagaland are due in March 2013.

Since a settlement will entail a constitutional amendment in both Houses of Parliament, the Nagaland legislators are meeting various party leaders. Most parties, including NDA partners, are eager for a solution although an MLA said the Left parties may pose a problem.

A highlight in the settlement is a pan-Naga social body. At its genesis is the question of identity that was manifested in Muivah’s demands of “dual citizenship” and integration of Naga tribes under a single administrative unit. The latter was flatly denied by the government in view of opposition from neighbouring states. Last week, Shinde said he was talking to the chief ministers of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to build a consensus.

On one count, the government is believed to have agreed partially: Nagas’ passports will indicate their residency in Nagaland. On the other hand, identity of Nagas will be maintained by a pan-Naga body even for Nagas living in the country and abroad.

Only one more step to Naga Political Solution

Nagas Rally for early Naga political solution

It is quite inspiring and encouraging when the opposition party under the leadership of Dr.SC Jamir is now leading and working together with the ruling party in Nagaland and supporting the present peace talks in Delhi. If he and his party would have been with the Nagas from before to solve the Naga problem, the process of peace talks in Delhi would have been speed up much faster. However, now as they have joined together in one spirit with same Naga political aspiration, one can have more hope and vision for our future Naga people.
JLF is laudable:

It is quite relieving and giving new hope as the Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF) consisting 60 MLAs went to Delhi to support the peace talks and bringing early solution to the Naga political problem. It is good to learn that the Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF) is again proposed to visit to Delhi on October 14 to meet Union Home minister in order to bring early solution to the Naga political problem. The opposition parties in Nagaland joining together with the ruling party and underground leaders to solve the Naga political problem have moved a step higher. However, we need one more step to Naga political solution. In this crucial stage of negotiation, every Naga soul needs to support to bring an early solution to the long pending Naga political problem. It is encouraging that Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has talked to the chief ministers of Arunachal and Manipur and trying to reach a consensus with the people in their states. This clearly shows that the GOI is also working to solve this complicated issue.

Why Peace-talks are still going on?

War is life or death, win or lost in the battle within a week or month. But since we all want peace and a peaceful solution; this peaceful solution through negotiation and dialogue would obviously take time to bring a solution. Nagas have every right to self-determination but it goes through a long procedure to negotiate and dialogue. In the process of peace-talks, some people may loss the hope and patient. But it is worth to wait even more than two decades if we are going to get an honorable solution that will be acceptable to all the Naga people.

If we are going to accept whatever the GOI has proposed, the present peace-talks would have been finished within a year or two. However, since the negotiation and dialogues are on the wishes of the Naga people, it may take more time than we have been expected. In fact, the peace-talks going is on strong for more than a decade and this clearly shows that the Naga leaders are strong enough and not giving up their demand to bring an honorable solution. It is not about pessimism, but one should not expect Moon and Stars in the negotiation and dialogues as there are some practical and technical problem involves. Our Naga people have lots of expectation from the present peace-talks, and due to this high expectation, some people might have accused our leaders for their slow process in their peace-talks and questioning the incapability of our leaders. But we cannot expect everyone to be the same. Here some of the problems are briefly highlighted below:

First, it is a peaceful negotiation and dialogue and not a war and we cannot expect an instant result. The Govt. of India not zealously and sincerely working toward the solution can be one of the main reasons for prolonging the peace-talks. In every negotiation and dialogue, both the parties need to be sincere and faithful otherwise one party cannot make unilateral decision.

Second, another problem can be the “Only Expectation” from our leaders without the mass movement and participation from our Naga people. Unless, the whole Nagas move together, the GOI may not consider the issue seriously. Almost all the Nagas are sitting at home comfortably except the Naga civil society leaders. We want sovereignty, we want an honorable solution and we want an early solution sitting at home. But sitting at home and criticizing our leaders may not bring any good fruit.

Third, both the GOI and NSCN may be sincere enough in their peace-talks but the issue itself is a complicated issue. Demanding sovereignty or shared sovereignty is a complicate issue. The issue becomes more complicated as the Naga leaders continue to stand on their demands. When we study and analyze the problem and issue more deeply, one can understand why the present peace-talks is dragging on more than a decade. In fact, it is a very complicated issue and one cannot expect to solve the problem within a year or two.

Why the GOI-NSCN-IM does not confide the progress of their peace-talks?

Yes, every Naga should know what the NSCN-IM is demanding and the progress of their peace-talks with the GOI. But as mentioned above, it is a very complicated issue as it involved some States of India and Mynamar in their peace-talks. As it is observed and have experienced earlier some incidents about the extending of Ceasefire to outside present Nagaland State and the news on Supra-state body, there can be some technical problems to share with the public about the progress of their peace-talks. It is not that only the Naga leaders are not revealing the progress of the peace-talks but the GOI also do not share the progress of their peace-talks in detail. With the GOI keeping the secret of their peace-talks with the NSCN-IM, one may be convinced that it has some technical problem to confide the details of their peace-talks. It is observed and it is quite possible that if the progress of peace-talks is shared with the public in details, there can be more messed within the Naga people and also with the neighboring states. However, the final solution to Naga political problem should be shared, discussed and be acceptable by all the Naga people to bring an everlasting solution.

Other political leaders need to join with JLF:

The JLF, Nagaland is on the move, but it seems to be incomplete without joining all the Naga political leaders and other leaders. Why the Naga politicians from Manipur and other States are not joining together with the Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF), Nagaland?  It would be good if our veteran politician Rishang Keishing also become the part of the Naga leaders and support the on-going peace-talks in Delhi to bring early solution of the Naga political solution. A veteran politician like him may be a great influence too if he becomes the part of the Naga leaders and with other Naga leaders. It is time now that we all join together and pressurize the GOI instead of sitting at home and criticizing our leaders for taking so long to bring our Naga political solution.

Constructive criticism and not criticisms

We have read many articles in the paper on our present leaders’ weaknesses, but hardly anyone writes to the GOI and shares our genuine Naga problem or in appreciation of our leaders. It is observed that our neighbor communities have many underground factions too and they may not be better than our Naga underground. But our neighbor intellectuals and writers know the limitation of their underground and give only constructive criticism. Whereas, our Naga intellectual and educated people mostly write only the weaknesses of our leaders without any giving suggestion to improve it. Constructive criticism should be welcomed by our leaders but direct accusation and criticisms lead nowhere except hurting each other and making worse the situation.

 

Final touch to Naga political solution:

Now, the only one more steps to Naga political solution may require the Naga mass participation and support, reconciliation and unification of all the Naga factions. Today, every Naga soul needs to support or suggest openly the on-going peace-talks in Delhi to bring an early and honorable solution. If we do not support or give suggestion, and keep waiting for our leaders to negotiate and dialogue – we should be responsible and accept whatever our Naga leaders bring the solution for the Naga people. It is observed that with the mass participation and support, we can have more hope and vision for our future Naga people. Instead of watching and waiting to tell, “My prediction comes true”. It would be better if we all voice together, work together unitedly to bring an honorable solution that will be acceptable by every Naga factions and Naga soul.

@ Dr. Thohe Pou