Naga flag and constitution demand as talks near end
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: August 17, 2022 -

AMID all out efforts of the Union government, both overt and covert, to convince the NSCN-IM leadership to drop their demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution on which they have been adamant, and to prevail upon the Naga masses that the said demands remain the stumbling block towards bringing a final solution to the Naga issues, the outfit's general secretary Th Muivah made it clear during his Naga Independence Day speech on August 14 that the two core demands cannot be compromised, thereby signifying that the peace process shall have to continue till the differences are ironed out.

By stating that the ball is now in the court of the government of India to showcase its commitment in bringing solution to the protracted Naga issues, there is no doubt that Muivah is accusing the Central government for an amicable settlement eluding the parleys even after over 20 years of the dialogue process.

Technically, ceding to the demand for separate flag and constitution will mean that the Nagas would be no more governed by New Delhi which the latter is unlikely to accept for the very purpose of holding the peace talks since signing of the ceasefire agreement some 25 years back was primarily aimed at ending the bloody insurgency movement and ring out the message to other insurgent outfits that hostility should end first to find the means for a negotiated agreement.

However, the NSCN-IM sticking to its core demands and the central authorities rejecting the same testify that the solution is nowhere in sight, as of now.

Considering the reported remarks of the NSCN-IM general secretary that all the past agreements were no solution as they betrayed the Naga national principle, and categorically stating that the Nagas are looking for an issue-based solution and are opposed to imposition of Indian will on the Nagas, one can conveniently state that furthering the dialogue process on the Naga issues shall have to address the contentious demands without which it would be wishful thinking that the Naga rebel group will accept piecemeal solution.

Though Muivah's statement that the Nagas need to work out a survival strategy could have different interpretations, his contentions that the Nagas shall oppose imposition of will of the government implies that the outfit already has plan B if the peace parleys snap.

Amid the Naga outfit's insistence that flag and constitution are a must, many a civil society organisations of Manipur hoisting flags to celebrate Manipur Independence Day a day ahead of India's suggest that the Union government cannot rest assured that settlement of the Naga problem will signal complete end to insurgency movement in the northeast region for there are still armed groups which have been waging war against the establishment in pursuance of independence from India.

As such, regardless of both the Centre and the Naga public leaders indicating keenness to resolving the long-pending issue within this year, apparently to brag and claim credits during the campaigning for the upcoming Nagaland assembly elections due next year, all the stakeholders should be consulted with to ensure that any deal arrived at brings lasting peace in the region.