The Naga political movement, which is a people’s movement, has been now hijacked by a few vested interest who have created a make-believe world for themselves inflicting an unbearable burden on the people.
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Concept note: The political conflict between the Government of India (GoI) and the Naga people dates back more than seven decades. Successive attempts have been made for its comprehensive resolution through bilateral negotiations and yet solution has remained elusive till date; and the Naga people have been undergoing untold misery and hardship with no light in sight at the end of the tunnel. There is a feeling of all-pervading despair. Hope for the Nagas is dimming under pseudo-peace with each passing day and year. Basking in our past glories is not the answer to what has been ailing the Naga society nor will it resolve the unsettled Naga political issue. The brutal truth alone can heal our land. Instead of solution and settlement, the groups and the factions are growing exponentially, especially after the two Agreements (were signed), adding to the woes of the people.
The Naga political movement, which is a people’s movement, has been now hijacked by a few vested interest who have created a make-believe world for themselves inflicting an unbearable burden on the people. These political mafia/dons, with guns and in conjunction with both State politicians and bureaucrats, the unpatriotic and selfish elements, have, in the name of the Naga National Movement, seized the State economy and the market through the neo modus operandi called ‘syndicate systems’ and ‘percentage cuts’ in all financial transactions under the existing Govt. Adding more woes to the worst mis-governance, what the usual commitment of the Prime Minister of India in his Independence Day address to the nation that his NDA Govt. will not tolerate corruption. Rather, the GoI uses the State as an ATM booth to restrain the Central agencies responsible for curbing corruption, enforcement of accountability and transparency failing to fulfil its obligation to the citizens. Besides, the State directly or indirectly sponsors corruption by shielding corrupt officers and withholding all prosecution sanctions and crippling all investigative agencies. When the issue of illegal taxation is raised, the finger is first pointed at the underground factions. Yet, the fact remains that not only those groups but several Govt. agencies do levy illegal taxes on the gullible public, stark evidence is the toll taxes, taxes on the import of goods by Urban Local Bodies which were directed to stop the practice by Govt. a few days ago. To speak the least, Nagaland has been in shambles for decades as the rule of law is made to vanish and the mis-governance is allowed to rule the roost.
With the above brief backdrop, remaining silent at such a difficult time amounts to being part of the problem. Likeminded elders of Nagaland, after due consultations amongst ourselves with responsible representatives from different sections and parts of the State, have therefore decided to form ourselves into a group called ‘Concern Naga Forum of Nagaland’ (CNFN) to voice out the longing of the common people and take up the common issues with the appropriate authorities in GoI, State Government and the political negotiators for hammering out a solution acceptable to all at the earliest on the basis of the two basic written agreements: the Framework Agreement of 2015 and the Agreed Position of 2017 which are the most tangible agreements in the context of the contemporary politics.
In August 2019, the Interlocutor for the Naga peace talks and Nagaland Governor, R.N. Ravi, set a three-month deadline to conclude the negotiations. Accordingly, on October 31, 2019, it was officially announced that the political negotiations had concluded. Subsequently, the Governor made the statements on the official closure of the peaceful negotiations in his address to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on January 17, 2020 and February 13, 2021 respectively. The official closure of the negotiations with the NSCN(IM) and the WC of NNPGs implies that all the contentious issues were mutually settled leaving the solution to be pursued.
The above being the factual status of the Naga political negotiations, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Govt. of Nagaland led by the Chief Minister asking the GoI to resume and upgrade political negotiation is a misnomer. An authority with such a mindset simply belittles what has been achieved already by the negotiators. In the event of anyone undermining the Framework Agreement or Agreed Position, he is asking for disgraceful zero result. Further, how many more years of negotiation and dialogue will be necessary for another Agreement to be signed. Surely a quarter of a century is enough time for any negotiation to be completed. Or is the negotiation and dialogue meant to continue forever like a never ending game and make the Naga people become fools and a mockery.
Secondly, in both of the two basic agreements, Naga sovereignty and Integration are excluded from the scope of a solution. Whereas, the Chief Minister of Nagaland goes on harping on integration and Pan-Naga platform which are out of context. Recalling the Representation of 14 Tribes of Nagaland submitted to the PM of India dated 17th December 2019, Quote “We have, time and again, made clear that we will not accept mere population integration without territorial integration; hence the concept of Pan-Naga Hoho (PNH) with sweeping powers and that too through an act of Parliament cannot be accepted by us.” Unquote. This ground reality cannot be undermined or set aside. Nagas will remain Nagas wherever they are and yet what the 14 tribes upheld cannot be undone by anyone at will for mere political mileage at the expense of common interest.
Today, the double talk and the despoiler game being played by the Govt. of Nagaland in its facilitation, the lackadaisical attitude of NSCN(IM) towards its own Framework Agreement and the lack of political will on the part of the GoI have collectively put the fate of the negotiations in jeopardy.
The situation has now reached its boiling point as people have lost all hope and our patience has completely run out. In a situation such as this, the stakeholders are left with no option but to jointly rise to the occasion and shoulder the social and moral responsibilities by taking a call- “Enough is Enough”. If the Naga National Movement leaders lack patriotism and steam to lead us, and when the elected Government is bereft of accountability to the people of the State other than broad daylight looting of the State Exchequer, what is then left to us if not for the likeminded ordinary but conscientious people to come together and salvage our destiny.
In view of the circumstances briefly envisaged above, the Common Naga Forum sincerely appeals to all concerned to become part of the team in salvaging the 29 years of political negotiation from crashing. It is also the moral responsibility of stakeholders to give effort to prepare the landing ground. Above all, as elders and parents, it is our bounden duty to pave way for our youth and children to have a secured future and hope to grow at par with the rest advancements of the present-day society.
Declarations
The Concern Naga Forum of Nagaland made this public declaration on the logical conclusion of 29 years of Political Negotiations.
The Naga political negotiations, which began under the 1997 and 2001 ceasefires between the GoI and the Naga Political Groups, respectively, have spanned nearly three decades of dialogue and intensive negotiations. The efforts resulted in the signing of the Framework Agreement of 2015 and the Agreed Position of 2017, and thus the negotiations were declared completed by October 31, 2019.
Now, the time has come for us to bring the process to its logical conclusion after 29 years. The Concern Naga Forum of Nagaland asserts that, henceforth, the opportunists must stop using the means as the end, stop attempts to reopen the closed chapters through indefinite negotiation, and instead translate the agreements into reality.
To the GoI
a) Promises had been made to the Naga people at the highest level to resolve the Naga political issue. We, therefore, call upon the GoI to demonstrate its sincerity and political will to finalise the issue which is in its court.
b) The GoI has to prepare a clear roadmap with defined timelines to operationalise the agreed competencies and institutional arrangements for smooth transition.
c) Restoration of the rule of law and accountability. Political settlement cannot coexist with corruption, parallel taxation or overlapping administration.
d) Governance reform, financial transparency and enforcement of the rule of law should be embodied in the new political dispensation.
To the Government of Nagaland
a) It is incumbent upon the Government of Nagaland as the elected representative of the people to acknowledge the will of the people, wanting an early conclusion to the long pending Indo-Naga political negotiation, by passing a resolution in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly asking the GOI to work out the final solution based on the gentlemen agreements namely the Framework Agreement of 2015 and the Agreed Position of 2017.
To the NPGs
a) The NPGs must uphold your agreements in letter and spirit with maturity and commitment.
b) The NPGs must refrain from incoherence/dishonesty but must remain trustworthy and transparent both to GoI and to the Naga people.
The Concern Naga Forum of Nagaland refused to pass this dark history to the upcoming generations by simply watching the incessant carnage in our comfort zones and therefore affirmed our collective aspiration for lasting peace, committing to a stable future beyond decades of insurgency through the guiding principle of “Peace for development of identity, culture, security and progress” and continuing our struggle through the democratic and political process to determine our future.
Concern Naga Forum of Nagaland (CNFN)