Naga talks : Time to recreate Naga People's Convention - 2.0

Nirendra Dev *

The miracle -- that is the Solution to the vexed and long pending Naga issue - can be achieved perhaps only when the cry for the same and peace and enhanced development reach the feverish pitch of the 1950s and the 1960s.

In 2025, the Status quo club is quite influential and are doing everything under the sky to sabotage the peace talks or 'stall' things from progressing further. This is typically unlike the 1950s and 1960s when there was the much important realisation that Peace was pre-requisite for anything substantially good to happen to a land and its people.

The anti-Solution brigade in the new century probably is getting all the help from 'other' powerful players and 'influencers'. The Naga peace talks started way back in 1997. In 2019 October talks were completed and two preliminary pacts also inked in 2015 and 2017. Yet the final Solution agreement is awaited.

However, the clamour is certainly building up in favour of early Solution. In a recent press statement President Naga Hoho gave a pointer to the "direction" in which things should move. "Nagas, the time to rise is now. We cannot afford to continue living in the comfortable lie of lethargy while the world watches our slow downfall,” it sounded the urgency.

“A peaceful, just, and honorable settlement is absolutely necessary; it’s been too long overdue. 2025 cannot be just another year of waiting and hoping. It must be the year of Naga political solution,” said Naga Hoho President, Sulanthung Lotha. Moreover, India's national security on the backdrop of continuous turmoil in Myanmar too is important.

The recent meeting of Naga underground groups convened on Jan 14th, 2025 sought to play certain interesting games. The statement was cleverly drafted keeping it revolved around emotive issues and sentiments. And there maybe a danger in it, some experts are already cautioning the authorities in Delhi.

Is it again pushing to 'revive' the pan-Naga nationalism ? -- Is the move intended or some how came out on the table during deliberations?

The Govt of India needs to take precautions too. Washington's Deep State is quite active even as the stage is set for Donald Trump to take charge on Jan 20. Joe Biden has taken all the trouble of honouring George Soros. The noise around Bangladesh is well known. Things are happening in Rakhine region of Myanmar also.

The Chümoukedima meeting of Jan 14th, 2025 and the Treatise has seemingly 'tried to resurrect Naga nationalism'. It is apprehended that some of the phrases and sentences in the Treatise could suggest double meaning -- like the standard Punjabi jokes.

"We cannot rule out anything... we do not rule out anything too. The meeting was convened all of a sudden and the participants did not look in any hurry for a Solution. That the participants chose to state that they recognize that the Naga ancestral territories and Peoplehood cuts across all artificial boundaries.... look loaded enough," -- someone in the know of things said here.

The boundaries of 2025 are hard realities. Nagas are in Nagaland and also neighbouring states of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. There are sizable Nagas in Myanmar too. In the 1960s, the Naga People's Convention was created to facilitate a Peace treaty. The statehood was worked out. Have we taken the round trip - like the hands of a clock - come back to the same point where things actually started?

Some personalities in the 1950s and 1960s were committed and sincere people. There maybe a need for the Naga People-s Convention - NPC 2.0.

At present - in the 21st century - everyone is tricky and hence unpredictable. It may be worthwhile to kickoff a debate around few silly questions.

How would you define a road accident ? If one drives towards a wall and hit it, is that a crash ?

But what will happen to this definition when a narrative is built that -- it was just a meeting of the vehicle bumper with bricks ?

There is a no pan-Nagaland state pro-Solution body today. The village elders tried their bit. The NTC plunged into the shenanigans but now the organisation is practically defunct. There are mandarins now in Delhi who feel "it's time to pull the rope".

Greed is not a process. Actually when the greed industry works round the clock; no process can yield expected results.

In movie 'The English Game' one protagonist says - "Football is not about moving ahead only. Its about space". That space is crucial. Something is being lost rather deliberately.

Talking about definitions etc; 'Grief' is actually an open wound that refuses to close. The Naga issue is lot about wounds. But there are other fundamental issues too. The 'failure' to deliver has brought Governance into disrepute. In the process, no body in the state seems to be bothered who is 'running' the affairs of the state.

Even the North Block in Delhi was left puzzled for two days when words spread that Governor is out of station and the Chief Minister will be proceeding on leave. "What does it matter ?," screamed one Naga social worker over phone.

New Delhi should rise to the occasion. The insurgency-stricken state shares borders with Myanmar - a country in turmoil. Manipur is also alongside and there too conflicts are the order of the day. Economic prosperity is crucial. Education is also vital. Casting of vote is only the first step in a democracy. New Delhi has its Act East Policy.

It is always important to understand the people, the community. But it is also important to understand that some individuals and sub-groups in a community think differently and will do things differently.

Only then one can make the right sense of the policies and politics around them.

(Views are personal)