North East concern: The alternative

Jinine Laishramcha *

A map of the North East States showing Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur

The continuous acts of racism and violent incidents on the communities of North East (NE) India by the mainland Indians have generated reactions and clamors now and again from the victims’ end. Definitely, the situation causes some mixed contemplation about alternatives towards a way-out; an attempt to reconnecting the dim dots to visualize a new different NE layout in the Indian political map.

Too big is India to acknowledge fairly the torment of North Easterners and attend adequately the woes of the others. Have India already got galore of complicated haywire of system for their own in the mainland. The disability is too big to reset the legislation, executive and judiciary in places. Hence, realizing the fact of mammoth limitations of India, it will be a rational move for NE to initiate something towards mitigation of reality bites from the mainland.

In the light of the above apprehension, I would love to put forward the following thoughts and concerns –

Political armed oppositions (PAOs) in NE might have well visualized India; how her might is, what she intends to, and certainly have experienced the amount of her commitment and quality in handling peace and justice. Likewise India observes, dissects the weaknesses and strengths of the PAOs. More or less she is familiar with the psychology, what the organizations combating for, which organizations like what, how easy and difficult to deal with.

It looks very visible that India has been waiting for some sort of natural death of the PAOs to be happened sooner or later. However it is very likely that waiting games may not be fulfilled so wishfully may be because of seen and unseen forces of China and USA.

PAOs may also be waiting for domestic crumbling of India on her own in terms of splitting her territory into three or more or political paralysis triggered by Hindu fundamentalism, colossal corruption, indigent governance, corporate game, etc.

The stake holders have to trajectorise a favorable future for a reason that the juncture is crucial; the timing is a real challenge but chances are also lurking somewhere. May it be possible ‘New Alternative’ of the North East by accommodating other Political Armed Oppositions and communities of North East India in addition to the consolidation to NSCN-IM. The following could be a rough architecture;

1. A unification of the (principal) Political Armed Oppositions of North East India by investing all their resources, courage and sincerity towards giving birth to a new (Nation) State sharing negotiable configuration with the Republic of India.

2. The other NE states that have low intensity of armed conflict or absent of PAOs will also be invited to. Those have not joined at the inception may be considered later. Thus it will capacitate a desired inclusiveness of the communities of NE and even beyond. [necessarily all the present seven states may not be part of.]

3. The name of the new State may be called the United Peoples Land of Indo Myanmar (UPLIM) (or United Peoples Land of Sub-Himalaya). [UPLIM may be a good nomenclature for it retains some key vocabulary and implications of PAOs in NE namely LIM, IM and Indo Myanmar for NSCN; United, Peoples and Land for other in Manipur, Assam and other.]

4. In order to legislate for and govern the UPLIM, and to practice a good socialism, and to deliver fundamental rights of life, liberty, equality and dignity to the peoples of the new State, there will be a Parliament that may be called Peoples House (PH). [The structure and modus operandi of the PH may be considered and derived from the other good parliamentary practices of the world.]

5. Currency and Communication may be retained with the Republic of India; Defence, External Affairs, Natural Resources may be negotiated towards a concurrent list; and the rest could be better in the PH affairs.

6. The key members or leaders of the PAOs, and from the other states where PAOs do not exist, political/social leaders will be member representatives in the Parliament/PH [whom may be called People Representative (PR)]

7. The modality of how and what numbers of PRs may be determined by considering various basis and will be settled democratically among PAOs in consultation with the NE communities/peoples by considering the optimum economic-political space of ethnic/indigenous minority. [Will Bodo, Karbi, Naga, Kuki, or Meetei have one PR for each of them or will drop down to ancestral tribal communities and clans or will it based on the population ratio?]

8. The first five year tenure of the PRs may be reserved and compensated for the PAOs, afterwards PRs will be elected through universal franchise by their respective peoples/communities or otherwise.

9. The existing State Assemblies will remain so do the participation of the MLAs in the UPLIM provincial governing activities in two houses setting. However it will be with the reformation of power division and functional sharing and in conjugation with PH structure. [It may minimize the outward dismay and eventual turbulent of the existing political personalities and parties.]

10. A wider candidature ship in the existing constituent assemblies election will be validated to accommodate the members and leaders of PAOs by migrating their organisations into electoral political parties or joining existing parties or floating new ones. Thus it may extend a meaningful participation in the governing activities for the new (Nation) State.