Diwali bumper :: Indications positive on 5th Anniversary of Naga Peace talks

Nirendra Dev *

Things have moved progressively and on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the mega announcement of breakthrough in Naga peace parleys, something positive has emerged lately.

If either of them -- Alezo Venuh and N Kitovi Zhimomi or the both or all other key leaders of the NNPG were playing spoilers to the talks process for the last few months -- frankly they have to blame themselves. Well, they might have been instigated and misguided by the saboteurs gang -- but the fresh statement from the umbrella group is welcome.

At an individual level trying to follow the Naga issue; I may call it positive, pragmatic and also forward looking. Others are doing their part and here we may include the role of the church. The respected Naga Shisha Hoho (prayer group) organised a special session on Oct 30 (Wednesday) at Dimapur.

Of course -- things may be a little too early to call it result oriented. One is unable to draw the inspired spirit of optimism -- that is otherwise so inherent among Nagas -- only because the anti-Solution gangs are quite powerful. They have shown in the past that they can undo and do things. They include Netas, they include 'underground players' and of course they include stakeholders within Nagaland and outside Nagaland.

To take it further - they also could include a section of Delhi's ivory tower experts -- both in the media and intellectual circles and Babudom ! But optimism has been a spirit that guided the NNPG ever since they came forward and had interacted with R N Ravi and others around 2017. By October 2019; things looked so good and smooth and then things were derailed. But the NNPG leadership did not give up.

In August 2024, Alezo Venuh was already the Ato Kilonder (Prime Minister) of NSCN-GPRN (Unification). During my interaction with him, Alezo said - "I am confident the good and right sense will prevail upon even the wrong persons. We need Solution and those who think they can get away by delaying things will soon be cornered and face gradual isolation in Naga society".

This too was refreshing. But now as the festive spirit and crackers and sound and light shows prevail around Lutyen's city and the rest of the globe; the NNPG latest statement issued on Oct 30, 2024 is a much relieving thing for the Modi Govt.

It is true as far as the Naga peace talk goes even the Modi government and especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi had come under attack for the so-called indecisiveness. There were occasions when despite being a 'Modi-Bhakt'; one had criticised the Prime Minister and urged him to 'wake up' and take the call.

Namo : A man who knows how to handle challenges !

Now, the Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups (WC, NNPGs) hopes that the government of India would complete signing of the Naga peace agreement in the calendar year 2024 itself, so that Nagaland and Naga areas of other states could also take part in the 'Vision 2047' of Prime Minister Modi.

This is certainly encouraging from a nationalist standpoint. The greed for power -- directly and also indirectly -- was so far harming the peace process.

Veteran Naga leader S C Jamir has said time and again that for some, endorsing the final Naga Peace pact is like signing off their good times both -- in political and economic terms. We also blamed the leadership of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio more than once for suggesting that the 'longest serving chief minister' in Nagaland and one of the most durable men in that post (other than Gegong Apang of Arunachal Pradesh) has not been giving his best. But it is also true that the Mizoram prism of the 1980s often blinded many. Everyone must have thought once the pact is inked - Rio and his ilk would have to step aside.

Naturally, the political outfit headed by Chingwang had their reasons to play the shenanigans of the corridors of power. But the honest assessment of the situation perhaps started in 2023-24 that the Mizoram formula of the Chief Minister resigning need not work for Nagaland !

Now in Oct 2024 -- we have enough reasons to believe that there need not be and should not be any transition in the elected Govt. That way the Govt of India will do well even to allow the present Assembly complete its term -- that is up to 2028 !!

To take the point further; analysts may suggest that any underground leaders after the Peace pact keen to play power-game in a positive sense can easily join electoral politics. The nomination card is of course another option. Some of it would be debated like the formation of an Upper House.

In June 2022 amid the glum, the NNPG leaders were jubilant. Of course, Kitovi and his onetime lieutenant Alezo Venuh were also working hard and they were together then. Hence when the Arunachal Nagas backed NNPG and Kitovi's leadership; they all saw the development as a mild setback to the NSCN-IM at such a critical juncture.

Even in Delhi, players said -- "The stake of NSCN(IM) on their supposed Supremacy over Naga Political solution received a big jolt".

The Government of India believed it got an 'encouragement' not to delay the signing of the final Peace pact. In fact, a joint statement issued by NNPG and Tirap Changlang Longdeng People's Forum, Tirap Changlang Longdeng Women Association and Tirap Changlang Longdeng Students' Federation said (in 2022) that a joint meeting was held on June 4th, and the Arunachal Nagas have decided to urge the NNPG to usher in an 'honourable and acceptable political solution".

"The clarity and transparency on the political and administrative aspects" were also "acknowledged", the statement had said. This meant the Agreed Position of NNPG (inked also by Kitovi and the then negotiator R N Ravi and others) had been endorsed.

Importantly, within Nagaland state, the much respected Nagaland Gaon Burrah Federation, 14 Tribal Bodies, Central Nagaland Tribal Council (of Aos, Semas and Lothas) and Nagaland Tribal Council had also urged the Government of India to sign the agreement on "whatsoever concluded as on October 31, 2019".

The hands of the clock -- 'Ghari Ki Sui' as Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say -- has come full circle. Mark the date ! Today is also Oct 31 (but 2024) and here again we are back with optimism. And this optimism is not without good reasons.

Extending warm wishes to Naga people on the fifth year of successful completion of the Indo-Naga peace talks, WC, NNPGs in a statement said when it entered the peace process, the Centre had the hangover of negotiations and agreements made with NSCN (I-M), which was never disclosed.

The NNPG now claims that the central government was interested only to listen to its demands and close the chapter as a foregone conclusion.

I will request Team Chingwang to endorse what the NNPG has stated.

In other words, go for a Solution and final Peace pact that will ensure a different economic and working atmosphere for Nagaland state. This will give a booster to Modi's Act East Policy and also to New Delhi's 'Vision 2047'.

India will celebrate 100 years in 2047. Some of us will be on the 'matured' side of the seventies; we may no longer be in this world.

As a state, Nagaland will turn 84. That's also a matured stage. The state has suffered a lot due to a plethora of reasons. It has also suffered due to players from outside. Dream merchants need to be shown their place. Some dreams are planted to blind you !

Let us all wake up. History belongs to dreamers -- that's true .... but we should not miss the point that dreams can be fulfilled -- when we work for it and yes everyone can work for it -- when we are pragmatic. Time to appreciate our own strengths and weaknesses and then move ahead.

I spoke to a BJP leader and he says candidly -- "People say - we pay to 27 groups. Tell me do we know any other part of the world where common shoppers and shopkeepers have to pay ransom to 27 groups. Are we not creating ground for a civil war?"