Partners in muscle flexing exercise : Murky politics of peace
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: April 21, 2012 -

An NSCN (IM) cadre on sentry duty at Camp Hebron :: Pix - TSE

Apparently muscle flexing is the de rigueur in the politics of peace and nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than in the nearly 15 years of peace talk between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM).

Ever since the cease fire pact was signed and agreed upon on August 1, 1997, the journey to finding a lasting solution to the decades old Naga issue has been punctuated more by tough talks and confrontationist stand than by 'making progress,' 'moving in the right decision' or 'mutual understanding.'

The stand off between the Assam Rifles and the NSCN (IM) over a camp located at Shirui village in Ukhrul district from January 19 night to January 24 predates the current tense situation wherein 13 cadres of the outfit have been hauled up and arms confiscated with the rebel group retaliating by detaining a JCO of the Indian Army along with arms and two colleagues at Camp Hebron, the headquarters of the NSCN (IM) in Nagaland.

The spill over effect in Manipur is now being felt in the intensified patrolling around the camps of the NSCN (IM) at Oklong in Senapati district, Bunning in Tamenglong district and Phungchong in Chandel district.

According to the parameters of the peace talk, there can be no designated camps of the NSCN (IM) on the soil of Manipur, as the cease fire is enforced only within Nagaland, but interestingly the Assam Rifles had in 2009 said that it had 'taken note' of the existence of these three camps.

Things cannot get more confusing than this and this confusion is central to the 'now on, now off,' hawkish stand adopted by the rebel group and the security forces. Understandably the Army authority has stopped short of stating that their troops have surrounded the camps of the NSCN (IM) and has fallen back on the time tested formula of sticking to the politically correct terms such as 'routine patrolling' 'movement of troops' 'area domination' 'area sanitisation' 'no specific target' etc.

The underlying meaning however is not lost on anyone. As we see it, the current crackdown launched by the Assam Rifles against the NSCN (IM) cadres in Nagaland, resulting in the arrest of 13 cadres besides confiscating their arms and ammos, will not derail the peace process, but it goes against the grain of a peace process and has undoubtedly left a bitter taste in the mouth of the outfit.

It may be a co-incidence, but it is interesting to note that the current crackdown has come when the Nagas of Manipur have been taking to the streets to demand the release of a senior and prominent leader of the NSCN (IM), Ningkhan Shimray, who was reportedly arrested in Kathmandu by Indian intelligence agents some time back.

How the dice will roll in the coming days remains to be seen, but it is clear that the ride to peace so far has been anything but smooth riding.

It is also a damning statement on the 'peace' which has been tom tommed by various Naga organisations down the years, especially when Manipur is at the epicentre.

Make no mistake about it, the biggest stake holder in the peace process between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India is today no longer Nagaland, but Manipur.

In the name of pursuing peace, Manipur has been at the receiving end on numerous occasions and this is where the politics of peace gets all that murkier.

The presence of a sinister hand at play here is something too significant to be dismissed that easily and the biggest challenge before the people is to realise what peace actually means.

As we have been consistently maintaining, silence of the guns does not necessarily mean peace. The overriding fear or apprehension of what may happen the next moment is palpably clear in the region where peace is supposed to have reigned for the last 15 years or so.

Intimidations, extortions, levying 'taxes' and coercion continue unabated and the recently held election to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly should be enough indication of how the understanding and essence of peace has been interpreted to the convenience of a few power players.

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act continue to be imposed in Nagaland, despite the fact that peace parleys have been on for the last 15 years or so.

Flouting all internationally understood concept of peace, NSCN (IM) cadres continue to impose their writs and diktats on the people.

The losers are the common people and the biggest tragedy is the effective sidelining of the voice of sanity amongst the very people, on whose behalf the peace process is being carried out.