Move to replace TR Zeliang as CM : Resumption of peace talk
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: January 08, 2015 -
TR Zeliang, Kaito Aye and Nephiu Rio :: Pix - TSE
Nagaland is in the news.
One obviously has to do with the steps taken up to replace TR Zeliang with Home Minister Kaito Aye as the Chief Minister of the neighbouring State and the other is the ongoing peace talk between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM).
Nothing to suggest that there is anything that connects the two issues, but it is nevertheless significant to note that the move to replace Zeliang with Aye made it to the news the same day that the next round of talk between the IM group of the NSCN and the Government is likely to be held some time later this month.
What however is interesting to note is the fact that so far there have been no serious charges or accusations against TR Zeliang.
Or at least such things have not made it to the press and come to the public domain.
This being the case, there can only be speculations and wild guesses behind the move to replace the present Chief Minister.
Is it a case of TR Zeliang losing the confidence of the DAN legislators to lead or is it for reasons which cannot be spelt out ?
Is there any connection between the move to remove him and the ongoing peace talk between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India ?
Difficult to say, especially with nothing coming out in black and white but sure to make Nagaland hit the headlines, at least in the region.
It is also interesting to note that former Chief Minister Nephiu Rio has called out for inner party democracy to prevail, thereby more than making it clear that he is keen to see a change of guard.
An indication that Rio still has a lot of say in the functioning of the NPF led DAN Government.
The change of Chief Ministership in Nagaland may not have much of an impact in Manipur, but the same cannot be said of the peace talk between the IM group and the Government of India.
With Delhi or the Government of India not really opening up on what has been discussed so far, the resumption of the peace talk has the potential to give rise to speculations. This is where a mature approach is called for.
Peace talk. Ironic it is but this very process has been able to sow seeds of distrust and suspicion amongst the people and nowhere was this more palpable than the time when the Government of India decided to add the phrase, ‘ceasefire without territorial limits,’ in the peace pact with the IM group.
Manipur burnt for days, 18 or so people lost their lives in the June 18 uprising and the ceasefire had to be ultimately rolled back.
The bridge was burnt forever. The breakdown in the trust and confidence amongst the people is complete driving home the point that peace talk is not something which can be handled casually.
So far nothing to suggest that there is a link between the move to replace TR Zeliang as the Chief Minister of Nagaland and the likely resumption of the peace talk but let it be clear to all that peace processes come with responsibilities.
A lesson which Delhi should not forget.
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