Naga issue: From bush war to shadow boxing
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: June 02, 2022 -

THE union government as well as the Naga public must be feeling immense relief that the NSCN-IM has decided to continue talks with the representatives of the government of India.

While reiteration of its key demands for a separate flag and constitution during the emergency 'national assembly' held on Tuesday will remain one of the stumbling blocks in finding early solution to the Naga issue even after over 20 years of peace parleys at different interlocutors, all sane Naga public would undoubtedly welcome the outfit's decision to continue holding talks until settlement of all the differences.

Prior to Tuesday's assembly, there were apprehensions that the NSCN-IM might take some drastic decision that could put a spanner on the peace process after both Naga political figures and its rivals started to raise posers against the outfit and doubted its commitment to see fruition of the dialogue process.

As reported, nearly 2000 leaders of NSCN-IM from all ranks attended the national assembly and resolved to continue pressing their demand for separate flag and constitution.

In view of the NSCN-IM leadership inferring that there can be no solution without flag and constitution, it could be safely stated that the peace parleys shall have to be continued tactfully by both parties for the very demands had been a bone of contention in the peace talks.

That the outfit wouldn't retract from its position despite pressure from different sections of the Naga society could also be comprehended from NSCN-IM chairman Q Tuccu asserting that its members will stand the ground till the last man standing in defence of God's given rights.

However, the worrying aspect of the solution-less dialogue process is the rival Naga National Political Croup (NNPC) stirring the locals-outsiders debate and putting the blame on the NSCN-IM for the continuous anxiety and uncertainty in the Naga society.

Some years back no one would have the audacity to question the NSCN-IM, obviously due to fear of reprisal, but with seven militant groups under its belt the NNPC has dared to direct it's tirade against the NSCN-IM, considered to be mother of insurgency movement in the region, and branded the latter as 'outsiders', tenants, in the state of Nagaland.

For the record, all leaders of the seven outfits now under the NNPC conglomerate used to be among the rank and file of the undivided NSCN and they all waged the war against the establishment for the independence of the Nagas.

Thus, the NNPC working committee calling the NSCN-IM's core demands like integration, flag and constitution as symbolic tools is likely to not only trigger fierce slugfest but might also make the job tougher for the centre's interlocutor.

The NNPC's remark that "Nagaland today is a land where tenants, with government of India's help, dream to be landlords through heckling, harassing and brutalising the owners with symbolic demands" also underscores that, having signed an Agreed Position with the Centre in November, 2017, it is trying to win the hearts and mind of the Naga people, especially the denizens of Nagaland, by portraying the NSCN-IM as lacking sincerity and transparency in fulfilling the cherished dreams of the Nagas.