Progress of the Naga peace talk : Manipur still in the dark
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 02, 2022 -

Considerable progress in the Naga peace talks and a breakthrough could come anytime for the inking of a final pact.

An old line, which has been proclaimed and repeated for good effects down the years or can one expect the final pact before Nagaland goes to polls in the early part of 2023?

No one seems to know and one wonders how closely the Government at Imphal is monitoring the peace process, for like it or not, any final outcome could send reverberations across the length and breadth of Manipur and definitely no one would want to see anything that could disturb the social equilibrium.

No one would also want to see the existence of Manipur as a distinct geo-political reality being compromised at the altar of the peace process, especially in any final pact inked between New Delhi and the NSCN (IM).

Curtains have been drawn on the Sangai Festival and even as the dusts kicked up in the revelry of the festival has settled here, in neighbouring Nagaland it is just starting to pick up thanks to the Hornbill Festival, with or without the participation of the eastern Nagas represented by the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO).

So even as the people of Manipur and Nagaland are caught up in the dawn of the season of festivals (Next in line are the Orange Festival, Christmas, New Year etc), the peace process between New Delhi and the NSCN (IM) and the NPPGs seem to be back on track.

What seems to have given a sense of urgency to the matter at hand is the earlier slogan of the BJP, 'Solution after election' in the run up to the 2018 Assembly election of Nagaland.

The interesting question is, how closely is the Government at Imphal monitoring the political dialogue between the Naga rebels/ political groups and New Delhi and if the answer is in the affirmative, then is it wise to any of the developments that have today come to be associated with the term 'progress in the peace talks' ?

Tough to say where the State Government is placed, but remember Manipur has two personalities who have been named to monitor the progress of the peace process-former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam and Lt General (Retd) Konsam Himalay.

The two personalities were tasked to study all aspects of the ongoing peace talks in 2017, and five years down the line, the question, 'Is Manipur any wiser to the process or progress of the peace talks ?'.

Only Delhi and leaders of the NSCN (IM) and the NNPGs are obviously best placed to answer this question, but remember Manipur has two personalities who have been tasked to oversee all aspects of the ongoing peace process.

Selective bout of amnesia or otherwise, but unfortunate it is that Manipur does not seem to have the two persons in its consciousness whenever any talk is centred around the peace process between New Delhi and the NSCN (IM).

In Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam has its Chief Minister who seems to be in the 'thick of things' and one wonders why Manipur cannot refer anyone from the State in the same breath as Sarma.

Why is this so is a question well worth raising and raise one must for while everyone in Manipur seems to be trundling from one issue to the other, the peace process between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India seems to be proceeding smoothly.

Manipur may or may not be affected by the outcome of the peace negotiations, but remember there was a time when the call for a Greater Lim was high on the agenda of the NSCN (IM).

No reason to believe or even entertain the thought that this call may have been given the quiet burial.

The point is, Manipur ought to have an inkling of an idea on which way the peace process is heading vis-a-vis the existence of the State as a distinct geo-political reality.

An understanding which should and cannot be watered down in any way.

Let a solution come soon but let Manipur continue to exist as the entity as it is understood and known.

This is the call.