Several rounds of talks have been held between the government of India and Naga insurgency groups since the two parties signed a ceasefire agreement in 1997 in the hopes of peacefully ending several decades of Nagas’ struggle for self determination that had led to violence. The move was significant as it opened the window for resolving the political movement amicably besides halting the bloodbath that was witnessed in the Naga-inhabited areas for several decades due to frequent gun battle between the Indian security forces and the Naga groups. While the public was hoping for peace to finally descend upon them and open the floodgates of development and prosperity, confrontations continued. The current stand-off between the Assam Rifles and NSCN (IM) at Tangkhul-Naga village of Sihai in Manipur’s Ukhrul district is one such instance. A large number of Assam Rifles troops descended on the village last week, pushing the region into a “warlike” situation and creating fear psychosis among the people of the village and the surrounding areas as they have been through similar circumstances in the past where innocent villagers ended up bearing the brunt during such violent confrontations between the two armed groups. The latest development has sent an alarm to the civilians as a camp of the NSCN (IM) is situated just 15 km away from the village. It has left many baffled as the current altercation involves Indian security forces and the cadres of NSCN (IM), the insurgency group that is spear-heading the peace talks with the government of India, and the location is Ukhrul district, the hometown of the outfit’s general secretary and chief negotiator Thuingaleng Muivah. And this is happening despite signing the “historic” peace accord, a framework agreement for Naga peace, on August 3, 2015 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Muivah. Why this mayhem?
The Indian security forces have claimed that the NSCN (IM) has violated the ceasefire by setting up an “unauthorised camp” at Sihai. It stated that the outfit had failed to vacate the camp despite being asked to do so. On the other hand, the NSCN (IM) has accused the Assam Rifles of going against the spirit of ceasefire ground rule and stated that there is a mechanism to redress any ceasefire ground rule violation even if misunderstanding crops up due to “different interpretation of ceasefire ground rules.” The group went on to say that having designated camps in Ukhrul district is not a new thing. The stand of the two parties is predictable, they have maintained such stands whenever there was such a stand-off and it will continue till the misunderstanding on the jurisdiction of the ceasefire is solved. The ceasefire agreement signed between the Indian government and the NSCN (IM) in Bangkok on June 14, 2001 had no territorial limit but the government took a U-turn and restricted it to only Nagaland following violent protests in Manipur. The outfit has been maintaining that the bilateral Bangkok agreement was reviewed and twisted unilaterally by the centre, and thus the ceasefire is applied to all Naga-inhabited areas, while the Indian government has failed to address this confusion. Both the parties will have their own reasons but the fact remains that going back to war and taking up violent paths to solve India’s oldest insurgency after almost two decades of peace talks is not what the people of the country wants. Peace talks may have failed to bring peace till date but permanent solution is possible if there is political will. Both the Indian government and Naga outfit should maintain restraint at this critical stage of peace process. Mutual trust, respect and understanding are needed to solve any issue.
