Naga National Issue: An Approach Out Of The Box – I

James Rongmei *

The 64th Naga independence celebration observed officially or otherwise on 14th August 2010 has once again reminded the Nagas about their historical commitment and declaration of independent Nagalim. Nagas are now quite aware of the historical facts of the Naga struggle; its downfall, Victories, hardships and joy along the way. The whole story is not reflected in this "analytical exercise out of the box" to save time and space. However, an attempt herein is made to cite some of the significant historical developments that took place in Naga society after the independence of India.

This is purposively made to easily identify and underline the two core issues that the Nagas have to strive for and address realistically at this most crucial stage of our national movement for freedom. The underlying two care issue are " sovereignty and integrity of Nagalim" . The signing of 16th point Agreement in 1960 that subsequently gave birth to the present state of Nagaland had further divided the Nagas. Despite some good measures being made to lighten the sufferings of the Nagas in the present state of Nagaland under the constitution of India, it had virtually fractured the Naga national movement to a great extent.

Now , it is crystal clear that the pending Indo- Nagalim issue is a Naga national issue saved by the Nagas who opposed the 16th point Agreement, 1960 and Shillong Accord, 1979 signed by GOI with NPC and NNC respectively. Nobody can deny these historical facts and miserable situations the Nagas have undergone since then. Who can deny the facts that most of the Nagas in the Present state of Nagaland were completely drifted away from the Naga national cause and national spirit immediately after the creation of the Indian state of Nagaland and subsequent signing of the shilling Accord. Notably, it was the genesis of division of Naga people and their land.

It truly was the source of polarisation of Naga national polity, ideals, principles and practices. When the Nagaland Nagas were overwhelmingly appeased with the new infrastructure and other facilities of a new statehood under the constitution of India, majority of NNC members who initially opposed the creation of Nagaland under 16th point Agreement were gradually impressed by this strong wind of change. As an aftermath of 16th point Agreement, NNC at last trode- in to sign the infamous Shillong Accord, 1979.

This great historical blunder shattered the hope of every Naga who truly loves a united free Nagalim. Few NNC leaders including Isak Chishi swu , SS. Khaplang, and Th. Muivah who opposed 16th Point Agreement and the Shillong Accord tried to muster majority strength to condemn the said Accords and save NNC but to no avail. Nobody bothered about it at that material point of time. Most of us from the present state of Nagaland remained silent and preferred to reconcile and compromise with the reality of the new system of a new state. The signing of shilling Accord by NNC was consented by majority of its members either expressly or by implication. This was how India and her agents (Pro Indian Nagas) succeeded in destroying NNC. Honestly, who can deny this historical reality?

All Nagas who opposed these two Agreement that undermined Naga nationhood and territorial integrity were compelled to form NSCN under the charismatic and dynamic leadership of Isak Chishi Swu, SS. Khaplang and Th. Muivah. This was the beginning of a new era of a new leadership. It can also be opined that Naga national struggle could have been completely destroyed had all the contiguous Naga areas been put under a single administration at that historical point of time.

The arbitrary division of Naga people and their land by India has much angered the majority Nagas and this has compelled them to vigorously pursue the Naga national struggle. The movement has been intensively democratised. NSCN has internationalised the Naqga case since it became a member of UNPO. It has earned the Indian recognition on the uniqueness of Naga history & situation. Today NSCN has successfully stirred and revived the Naga national movement through out the territory of Nagalim. NSCN has successfully made India understand all about the story and insight of Naga national cause.

This bilateral political peace dialogues which are put on record are very important in endeavouring an honourable settlement. All these realities are to be equally recognised by Nagas themselves. Division of the Nagas with the objective to weaken and destroy the naga national movement has turned to be a wrong policy on the part of India. It has rather become a blessing in disguise as far as Naga national movement is concerned. India can no longer stop the Nagas from their march towards their rightful place. NSCN has actually succeeded to bring Naga national political renaissance in Nagalim.

But remember, the arrogance, complacency, material and moral corruption of some of the leaders and members of NSCN (IM) can lead to destruction unless reformed and corrected. It also appears Nagas today are very serious about the need to bring an honourable solution in the ongoing Indo Nagalim political dialogue. They are equally serious about Naga unity and unification of National workers. But it is sad to say that many Nagas including some factions do not have the basic understanding of the protracted Naga national issue. For them, the pending Naga national issue is confined to the present state of Nagaland.

Some of them also do not know that the present state of Nagaland has already become a part of India as per 16th point Agreement read with Article 37-A of the constitution of India. Hence, there seems to be no Naga national issue under this purview and scope. Who can deny this fact ? There really lies the problem and the Nagas must understand it realistically.

As aforesaid, Nagas who opposed the two Agreements and who have made the Naga national issue alive only has popular mandate to deal with the issue. In that perspective, Naga unity and unification of Naga national workers won't be a problem for those whose principles and practices are based on the sovereignty and integrity of Nagalim. The prevailing problem seems to be between the national workers and Naga factions who they think are only talking for the present state of Nagaland. Is such unification between such groups really feasible? Naturally not.

Because national issue involves all Naga peoples (nearly 61 different ethnic tribes) from all Naga ancestral land in India & Myanmar whose struggle is for recognition of the sovereignty and integrity of Nagalim. To project their stand exclusively for the present Nagaland defeats their national objective, if any. This is due to the formation of Nagaland under the constitution of India which has forefeited the Naga national cause. This reality necessitates an" out of the box approach" which NSCN has adopted since its inception for resolving the Indo-Nagalim issue.

The 2nd difficult factor of the Naga National workers seems to be because of some Naga faction's support to the Manipur Govt. And undergrounds who are opposed to the territorial integrity of Nagalim. Why did this faction try to appease the pro-talk ULFA at the cost of Arunachal Nagas in the recent Assam- Arunachal border tension? Leave alone discharging Naga national responsibility, some of our national organisations has not even extended moral support to the suffering Nagas in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Myanmar whenever they are being apposed and oppressed by the adversaries.

Such Naga factions encourage the opponents of the Nagas time and again. How can we expect unification when some factions are found to be always subservient to the non-Nagas? The 3rd important difficult factor is the failure of the Nagas to identify false national workers who are like wolves in sheeps' skin. The only methodology to identify such wolves is by observing their voices and behaviours and not by their skins.

The motive of creating Nagaland and destroying NNC by India was solely to crush the Naga national movement. When India failed to succeed the mission in toto due to the emergence of NSCN, she initiated a new mission to destroy NSCN. India had a partial success in the mission when the united NSCN was divided in 1988. Though there still is regret for the NSCN split engineered by Indian agents, the mission still hangs on.

It is not all the leaders but those few in the factions who are destined to destroy NSCN with the ultimate objective of crushing the Naga national movement. Naga people can observe their voices and behaviours so as to distinguish and identify them as false national workers or Indian agents on a mission from that of true national workers. Nagas can pray to God so that such people may repent and get rid of their ill mission against the Naga cause.

In this way unity and unification of true national workers and the Naga citizens would be materialised. Incidentally, NSCN (K) and NNC signed a unification pact at Monyakshu, Mon district just few days after SC Jamir, the former honourable Chief Minister of Nagaland returned from Manipur after meeting Ibobi Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur.

The unification Pact was also made just after few days when uncle SC Jamir categorically stated that Nagas should drop Naga sovereignty and integrity issue in order to bring final solution to the Naga problem. To any thinking Naga, dropping of both the sovereignty and integrity issue of Nagalim means dropping everything and compromising to the status quo. To NSCN, it appears to be a sell out.

This recent developments have obviously led the NSCN (IM) to raise certain questions on the credibility of the said Monyakshu Pact. Believe it or not there are some die hard pro-Indian Nagas who hate to see true Naga national workers coming together. Nagas must also pray for those people so that God will take control of them. Taking the above Premises into consideration the Pending Naga national issue must be correctly understood and recognised by the Nagas themselves.

True Naga reconciliation, unity and unification can be achieved when Nagas can call a spade, a spade. Honourable Naga solution can only be found only when all the Nagas work together for it one way or the other. The national workers alone cannot do it. It is also suggested that all the Naga national organizations should completely stop fratricidal killings. They must perpetually abandon such practice as a matter of policy.

Abandoning such policy does not necessarily waive their right to self defence . NSCN (IM) must also avoid its complacency and exclusive tendency. Other Naga factions must also free themselves from being subservient to anti- Naga groups. It is further suggested that the crucial stage of Naga reconciliation and unity move under FNR be saved by consolidating and transforming the already existing Joint Working Group (JWG) of the Naga national workers into a dynamic working common platform of the national workers for evolving an effective mechanism so as to forge Naga national consensus which ultimately can bring unification and honourable solution to the Indo-Nagalim Problem.

Note:

In this write up "Nagaland" is used to denote the present state of Nagaland whereas "Nagalim" is also used to denote all the ancestral (contiguous) Nagas areas in India and Myanmar including that of the present state of Nagaland. The objective of this write up is to bring peace, unity, unification and honourable solution in Nagalim.