Defining tribes along geography : Conundrum of tribe recognition
- Sangai Express Editorial :: October 22 , 2013 -
An open and shut case but yet at the same time it is as complex as complex can be in the present political and social context.
Hence the need to try and understand the issue in its correct perspectives, without jumping the gun.
On the face, the stand of the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC), reportedly representing 15 tribes of Nagaland, seems easy enough to understand.
The name, NTC, itself should be an important indicator.
In saying that it is against the decision of the Government of Nagaland to grant recognition to the Rongmei community as a tribe of Nagaland, the NTC is not saying that it does not recognise the Rongmei community as part of the big Naga family.
This line of thought may also be read into the stiff opposition raised against the earlier decision of the Government of Nagaland to grant recognition to the Mao community as a tribe of Nagaland.
This much should be clear.
Such a line of thought may however turn complex and even 'nasty' as it can be interpreted as running contrary to the idea of a pan Naga movement or a Naga identity which the Naga rebel groups, particularly the NSCN (IM), have been championing for ages, cutting across geographical divides.
An idea or an ideology which rests on the premise that maps or the Atlas should not come in the way of the Naga identity.
A stand which has been demonstrated very clearly in the posture of the NSCN (IM) that it is engaged in a political dialogue with the Government of India, not only on behalf of the Nagas of Nagaland but also Nagas settled in different States of the North East, particularly Manipur.
That this idea has been picked up by the Naga Hoho, supposedly the apex civil society organisation of the Naga people and others like the Naga Students' Federation and Naga Mothers' Association is significant and cannot be waved away that easily.
It is not yet clear where the Church or Church leaders or where the Naga Forum for Reconciliation stand.
"Stormy days ahead in Nagaland." This was the headline or the caption, which The Sangai Express gave to the story of the NTC and the Naga Hoho in its October 21 edition and there is nothing to suggest why it will not be stormy, given the fact that the NTC claims to represent 15 tribes of Nagaland.
The important and interesting question is the spill over factor that may be seen in Manipur in the coming days.
Though the NTC has not gone beyond saying that it is against the decision of the Nagaland Government to grant recognition to the Rongmei community as a tribe of Nagaland, there are bound to be many who will try to read between the lines and draw their own conclusions.
This could be beneficial and dangerous at the same time.
To repeat, the NTC has not said that it does not recognise the Rongmei community as a Naga tribe, but in taking a stand along geography or the map or the Atlas, it has said something very significant.
The Sangai Express does not have the population figure of the Rongmei community in Nagaland, but it stands true that the Rongmei people are part of the larger group or tribe which come under the name Zeliangrong.
Given this, then can the stand of the NTC be seen or interpreted as saying that the three groups of community which come under the Zeliangrong tribe should be viewed and treated as separate entities ?
Or is it a question of the sub-tribes under the Naga family becoming competing forces over land and resources or what the Government has to offer ?
Difficult to say at this moment and coming to a conclusion at this point of time may just prove premature.
But what can be said with a degree of certainty is Nagaland is most likely to see stormy days ahead, with the NTC pitted against the Naga Hoho and others.
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