The Game of Frame Work Agreement
- Imphal Times Editorial :: August 31 2018 -

Congress MLA, and Spokesperson of MPCC, Khumukcham Joykishan yesterday hits the bull eyes when he told that the present BJP led government is not sincere in solving the decades old issue of NSCN-IM.

One point that the Congress MLA put up was that – “when there is an assurance that the Unity of Manipur will not be affected in the solving of the vex issue of NSCN-IM issue, why it is still kept pending”.

This perhaps need to be analyzed by both the Govt. and the rebel group engaging in peace dead which had finally signed an agreement called Frame Work.

This newspaper has many times asked the same question as everytime when the issue of NSCN-IM peace talk comes up only at the time of elections – may be parliamentary or the state assembly election.

Either it is at Manipur the hot spot of Insurgency Theater, or at Nagaland where Naga insurgence have full power to influence the electoral politics, the aged old unsettle issue of the Naga always comes up in public domain when general election or parliamentary election is knocking at the door.

Everytime when the issue appeared political leaders ruling the government keep on saying that the solution of the NSCN-IM will never change boundary of any neighbouring states of Nagaland particularly for the state of Manipur.

It is worth mentioning that some days back the interlocutor to the Government of India had stated that the NSCN –IM had withdrawn the demand of greater Nagaland.

This is not a child’s play. A rebel group , which the government of India considered as the mother of all armed rebel group in the region simply agreed to withdraw the demand for a greater Nagaland might have some hidden agenda.

After all the RN Ravi was time and again quoted as saying that something should be done for the NSCN-IM.

The recent report submitted by the Parliamentary committee does suggest something that worried the people of the state.

The point which the parliamentary committee questioned the state government to elaborate the local adjustment to the sixth Schedule and also to once more look into the Article 371 (A) type special status suggested that there may be some changes to the administration of the state – had a solution be arrived.

Well this is about the preliminary stage that has been discussing.

A special status for NSCN-IM (or say Naga) is an anti thesis to the argument by a group of Sangh Paribar which is strongly opposing the Article 370 which granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Leaving aside the constitutional matter, this writing will focus on the game being played under the shadow of the Frame Work Agreement.

If one recalled final solution of the vex Naga issue was the agenda at a time when the Nagaland state assembly election was scheduled.

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, who visited Nagaland for inauguration of the Nagaland HornBill Festival, had announced that the age old Naga issue will be sorted out soon. Before that, in September 2017 Governor of Nagaland PV Archarya had also assured the people of Nagaland that the issue will be solved in two months.

But, Nagaland state Assembly election was held without completing the final solution.

Every people in the entire North Eastern knows that the main stakeholders which is dealing for the vex Naga issue is the NSCN-IM.

It is the way that this main insurgent group who had started peace dialogue with the government of India in August 1997 that has been regarded as most influential when it comes to Naga issue.

In the neighbouring state Manipur, the game was different.

A single mistakes committed in the course of solving the issue may result strong uprising. They had seen it in June, 2001. So it was differently tackled in their own way by every political party.

In 2011, a newspaper reported about the formation of a Supra state for the Nagas as demanded by the NSCN-IM.

The report was also published based on highly confidential source from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

A flare up following the news report has compelled the authority to clarify saying that no such agreement has been signed or agreed.

After almost 20 years of peace talk and close association, it might not have been difficult for the Indian government to find out the present strength, strategy and every loop holes, weak area of the NSCN-IM.

Existence of the various other rebel groups and the present day mindset of the Nagaland people have already been analyzed by experts for over 2 decades.

The government now know that people are fed up of the insurgency movement , yet every Naga people still feel that there is an unsettle Naga issue. People like a solution no matter, how it does.

It may be remembered that 1000s of Naga rebel cadres have died fighting for a sovereign Nagaland.

After NSCN-IM enters peace deal with the government of India the demand for separate state had been reduced to formation of a separate state by carving out portion of land from Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

If the report appeared is not reacted by the NSCN-IM, it now stands clear that the NSCN-IM have finally surrendered its earlier stands.