Solution in sight ?
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: November 15 2011 -

The newly published English daily from Guwahati, 'Seven Sisters Post' broke of one of the most important news for the region which has immense significance for Manipur a few days back.

The story stated that a final solution to the NSCN-IM and the government of India is in sight with the later offering some sort of a "Christmas Gift" in the form of a 'Supra State'.

As per the newspaper story, the settlement entails a "special federal relationship" between the government of India and Nagaland.

The offer from the government of India, of which there has been no official confirmation as such, envisages creating a 'supra-state body' for the Nagas to "preserve, protect and promote their cultural, social and customary practices".

The Naga insurgency has been the longest running one in the country and is at times even referred to as "the mother of all insurgencies in the north east". In the course of this insurgency, numerous lives have been lost; the population has been victims of several cases of human rights violations including torture and rape.

After many twists and turns during the course of the Naga insurgency, the NSCN -IM entered into formal ceasefire and peace talks with the government of India on August 1, 1997.

The two sides held numerous talks these past fourteen years but without any concrete, tangible result, by all appearance. But the fact that the two sides kept talking always held out the possibility of a settlement of the issue.

The NSCN -IM, during the course of these protracted talks, after a point, seemed to have dropped its demand for sovereignty and were pushing hard for the integration of all Naga inhabited areas under one administrative unit.

Quite expectedly, the states which would be affected by such move viz, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur reacted strongly against it.

And among them, Manipur, the state which would be worst affected by the integration of Naga inhabited areas have been most vocal.

The depth of this resistance can be gauged from the June 18 2001 incident which left 18 people dead when the valley areas erupted in protest against the extension of the cease fire between the NSCN -IM and the government of India to all Naga inhabited areas without territorial limit.

The government of India as per the 'Seven Sisters Post' story, considers the concept of the 'Supra-state' body the next best option after the 'Integration of Naga inhabited areas'.

The law and order will remain within the jurisdiction of the concern states, the states other than having no say in anything concerning the tradition, culture, customs, will also need to consult and take the advise of the 'Supra-state body' while taking up any development projects in the Naga inhabited areas.

While, we do not know for sure the exact provisions of the 'Supra-state body' nor the powers that will be conferred to it,but from the barest details that we can discern from the 'Seven Sisters Post' story, it is not going to be smooth sailing ahead.

The concern states are sure to resist tooth and nail any attempt to dilute the status quo.

Resistance against such a move will also come from various sections of the people residing within the areas concerned.

Also such a move will open a Pandora 's Box with other tribes and communities in the region demanding similar arrangements.

Such a move if implemented would also compromise the administrative effectiveness of the states. How our lawmakers will solve the likely confusion and duplication of powers between the 'Supra-state body' and the states is another area of concern.

While we welcome the resolution of the issue, the government of India should ensure that states concerned and other sections of the people residing within these states are also informed and consulted while arriving at a final solution.

Resolving this long standing issue is vitally important but that should not lead to creating other problems for the region.