Delhi’s Final Accord Should Not Create Fear, Anxiety in People’s Minds

Ever since the “Framework Agreement” was signed between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM), leaders of various Naga civil societies had been urging the parties to make the contents of the accord public. Some concerned Members of Parliament even questioned the Government for keeping the contents under wraps but the Government’s reply was it was not proper to divulge them when the talk was going on. In fact, no legislators from Nagaland knew about the contents of the accord. For the record, the Nagaland Assembly never passed any resolutions for urging the parties in talks to make the contents of the Framework Agreement public except urging them to expedite the peace process for an early solution that should be honourable and acceptable to the Naga people.

Soon after the Framework Agreement, Interlocutor RN Ravi, however, held a series of Consultative Meetings with the Naga civil societies on August 26, 2015, in Nagaland and also with the Nagaland legislators on August 27, 2015. In all his statements, he made it clear that the Government’s approach to the Naga political solution would be “comprehensive” and there would be no “piecemeal solution.” His “Consultative Meetings” with the civil societies of Manipur at Imphal and later with the civil societies from Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh were noteworthy. It was very clear from his responses that some kind of “Autonomy” would be granted to the Nagas of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur as part of the resolution of the Naga issue, though he did not elaborate the type of “Autonomy.”

In the meantime, the Naga people’s patience was running out as they didn’t see any sign of a resolution to the Naga issue forthcoming even after two decades of the peace process. They became more agitated and restless when Modi’s tenure as the Prime Minister was about to end. Naturally, they would be worried as in politics, there is no guarantee that one will be coming back to power. Yet, Modi and other Central leaders, mostly BJP kept saying that the solution to the Naga political issue was an “advanced stage” and even President of India, Ram NathKovind while inaugurating the Hornbill Festival at Kisama on December 1, 2017, announced that the solution to the Naga issue was very near.

Ravi also could bring the six NNPGs to the “negotiating table” in 2017 and in fact, the Naga civil societies, the state government and the political parties in Nagaland had been urging him to involve all the groups and stakeholders while working for a permanent solution to the Naga issue.

By the middle of 2018, it was clear that the NDA Government led by Prime Minister Modi wasn’t prepared to resolve the Naga political issue before the parliamentary election to the 17th LokSabha. Many were worried about the fate of the Naga peace process if Modi failed to return to power. Their reckoning was that if the BJP-led NDA with Modi as the Prime Minister fails to come back, the peace process will suffer again. It is true that if another political leader becomes the Prime Minister, he will need time to restudy the whole issue. He has to appoint a new Interlocutor for re-examining the peace process before the resumption of the talks.

But Modi surprised the people of the country after successfully coming out from the most crucial general election to the 17th LokSabha with his BJP securing 302 seats, 10 seats more than the last general election.

The Naga people now think that some kind of settlement will come with Modi at the helm of affairs at the Centre. They expect that the Government will move closer to the solution and frequent talks with the NSCN (IM) and other NNPGs to reach the solution. They hope that Modi will keenly watch the peace process with Ravi wrapping up talks for clinching the final agreement.

While the people’s happiness on Modi’s returning to power is yet to go away, they are completely taken aback by the appointment of Interlocutor Ravi as the Governor of Nagaland. It is like a midnight surgical strike. Then the news came in that he would continue to hold the post of Interlocutor and continue to hold talks with the NSCN (IM) and other NNPGs.

But then, Ravi came to Nagaland with a message that had literally shaken up the NSCN (IM) and also many organisations. “The Prime Minister, NarendraModi desires to conclude the Naga issue in three months,” he informed the NSCN (IM) and the people of Nagaland. The deadline ends on 31st October this month. But at the far end of this deadline, he disclosed the contents of the Framework Agreement at a meeting with the representatives of 14 civil societies of Nagaland held at the Hotel Japfu, Kohima on October 18, 2019. There, he criticised the NSCN (IM) for adopting a procrastinating attitude to delay the settlement of the issue by raising the “contentious symbolic issues of separate Naga national flag and constitution on which they are fully aware of the Government of India’s position.” This disclosure has created widespread discord. NSCN (IM) President Q Tuccu, however, said that the Indian authorities dealing with the talks were also “well informed that the Indo-Naga political solution without the Naga flag and constitution is not conclusive and that will create a room for future headache.”

If they disclosed the contents of the Framework Agreement at least after a year of its signing, things would not have come up as complicated as seen today. However, there is still room for understanding and that is the first step to find a middle path.

If the Government of India’s attempt to strike a final accord with the NSCN (IM) and the NNPGs after decades of political talks creates fear and anxiety in the minds of the people, then it cannot be called a solution for peace. Their greatest fear is the differences that may likely to emerge among the Naga groups following the final accord that Delhi is planning to strike. That is the reason why the Naga people have been urging Delhi to involve all the groups while resolving the Naga political issue. They truly want peace in their land. It is hoped that Delhi can give peace to the people.

Oken Jeet Sandham