Naga-Meetei Ties : On the backdrop of Muivah and Leishemba historic meeting

Lemza Raising *

Titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba with Muivah at Hebron on May 24 2013 :: Pix - TSE

"We have more reason to live as neighbors and less reason to live as enemies".

It was on a hot summer evening at Delhi in 2010, I and my Meetei friend were sitting over a glass of famous Danda Nimbu Paani at the famous open Cafeteria at Law Faculty, DU North Campus to freeze ourselves from the scorching heat of the sun. In the course of our friendly discussion, I asked why Muivah was not allowed to visit his birthplace by GOM, especially, Ibobi?

In a same manner he retorted, then why Muivah always want to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of Manipur? This argument continues unabated for the rest of the evening. Today, I recall that nothing is more explosives or argumentative than the one I had with my Meetei brother that fateful day. But whatever the argument be, we are still a good friend.

The bottom-line is, any political actions of one community has implications on other community in Manipur and is controversial and inflammatory in nature. Thus, home situation has its own impacts-good or bad.

The acclaimed fraternal bonding of Meetei and Nagas is not by a choice/option but by historical legacies existed. We cannot deconstruct nor defies it-the standing historical facts and value. In a same vein, it is fixed and nailed deeply to our existence. I'm not in a position to denigrate the historical rights of any ethnic community or promote it in favor of one while subjugating others because it is dynamically explosives and politically vulnerable to all sort of communal-ism in Manipur but, I'm more focus on how we resuscitate our fragile fraternal bonding that was totally collapsed following our misinterpretation of truths, misconception of the facts, non-accommodative spirit and constant political fluctuation - by presenting the factual reality of how we co-exist as a neighbors in the years gone by and the rapprochement method we need to embrace in redefining our relational structure.

Literally speaking, today, if "Exit Option" or "Choices" can be made in the given historically/geographically established fraternal/ neighboring relationship, one may easily opt for other in the given context because of the following implicit assumption i.e. We are enemy by our politics; a tyrant by our outlooks and oppressor by our actions.

In addition, power sharing is monopolized by a majority at the expense of minority; one's rightful demands is looked upon by others through the prism of hatred and animosity: one's political action is measured with a yardstick of jealousy and contempt and one's welfare/ developmental policy is deadly criticize and mistaken for discrimination. This assumption is counterproductive to our co-existence policy and developmental growth.

Citing an example as relevant document, if "Exit Option" could be exercised by Pakistani, mindlessly, they shift and settled near the border of China so does N/Korea to Russian territory or for that matter cut-off all the linkages and remain isolated. For it is more blessed and politically advantageous for Pakistan to border with China than India, North Korea with Russia than South Korea- based on the explosives relationship maintained.

Likely, the applicability of the "Exit Option" may politically and socially justifiable for many Meeitei and Nagas if it is exercisable and option is open in the context of Nagas-Meeitei ties. We are made to be a neighbors and not an enemy, whether we like it or not.

As a reminder, the Famous Berlin Wall symbolized the confrontational relationship between the 2 Germany, its ally Soviet Bloc countries and Western countries shrouded by animosity, hatred and vengeance. Finally, resulted into the division of Europe into two armed Camp. However, the force breakdown of Berlin Wall in 1989 signifies the dawn of new era- culminating in German unification and end of Cold War. Seemingly, in the case of Meeitei and Nagas, the Berlin Wall stood still and the prevailing situation is the outcome of the existence of Berlin Wall in our fraternal set-up. The force breakdown of Berlin Wall is the only means to end our not-so-cordial relationship.

Recently, slow and steady progress is widely manifested in the midst of chaotic bilateral structure in moving toward re-conciliatory path after a long time. Especially, the high level meeting of Indo-Naga peace negotiator Ato Kilonser Mr. Muivah, his colleagues and Titular King Leishemba Sanajaoba and his entourage at Hebron Camp is considered as "historic" and "path breaking" and welcome by peoples of the two communities with open arms. In fact, this meeting shed a new light and breathes in fresh air in the fragmented and weathered relationship.

I envisaged the meeting as a preparatory to the upcoming re-conciliatory move of the two communities. Gifts exchange in the meeting is a clear demonstration of a shared tradition that stay still intact with Meeitei and Nagas even today and thus, it's symbolize the acceptance, appreciation and friendly gesture of one another.

Indeed, Suffering of Nagas never benefits Meeitei and vice-versa as Muivah has categorically stated and for sure, experimenting "Pareto Optimal" (OP) (Economics) formula in not-so-cordial Meeitei and Nagas relationship is destructive and would never yield any positive result but, comprehensive and normative analysis of the historical facts is the only pre-requisite in establishing mutual understanding between the two communities.

Many times we failed because we only see the cup half empty completely ignored the cup half full. This fundamental approach is fatalistic because we are blinded by the misconception, over-sensitivity and ingrained prejudice being formed before hand while judging other community. It is worth quoting the remark of Ato Kilonser Th. Muivah in this regards, "We (Meetei and Nagas) are not enemies" has diverse implications and is found significant in understanding the dialectics discourse of our fraternal nature.

In a same line, King Leishemba remarks of "waving hand is often mistaken for a fights" is philosophical and is a point to reflects on how we failed in our approach towards others for long. We are made vanquished by our own judgment of others and victimized by the facts that we failed to accept the narratives of others. Indeed, we've played "Zero-Sum-Game" for long at the cost of each other's and at the cost of developmental growth, peace and communal harmony.

To me, being good friends doesn't means compromising one's identity; having good neighborly relationship means never sacrificing one's "selfness". Let my genuine demands never criss-cross other's rights and let it be respected and vice-versa. Continuation of such result oriented high level meeting in the future would invariably produce the desire result and create a positive impacts on our shared socio-political relationship .

In this transnational world and a globalized era, our political understanding need not confine within the four wall of a room but it is a high time to break upon the boundary wall and engage in peaceful dialogue to bring common understanding of the impending factors that stands as an impediment to all our endeavors for peace, development and tranquility in the region.

Muivah and Leishemba have taken an extra mile sowing the seed of communal peace and harmony and have broken the Berlin Wall for all of us and for the prospect future. I was overwhelmingly impressed by the fact that our leaders have taken a path breaking initiatives in reviving our fraternal bonding -distorted and dumped into the ocean of violent and communal-ism for a long time. We need to pick up the pieces and reconnect it till end.

If we want to see our society as a progressive, advanced and developed society, we should jump out of the box leaving the past behind and engage in a meaningful and intensive dialogue at the government and civil organizational level to promote peace, harmony and development in the region, any problem arising out of misunderstanding/confusion should be hammered out in a just and fair/democratic manner devoid of violent.

In doing so, participation of intellectuals, scholars and academician should be welcomed because they can play a crucial role in exploring ways and means for better co-existence apart from educating peoples the shared history and common existence. Besides, establishing peoples to peoples contacts at the micro level need to be improved in order to promote fraternal feeling and love for each other.

Lastly, it is the collective responsibility of every individual to help realize the vision of our leaders for peaceful co-existence in the near future. These are my simple and limited mechanism I think, will be conducive in creating a congenial atmosphere for making our society a progressive and advanced society. Our peaceful solution to all of our impending problems would have a tremendous impact on all of the neighboring community and witness the paradigm shift in the inter-state relationship of the North-East at large.

(The expressed views is my own and doesn't reflect the views of any person, organizations or groups)