The present Naga scenario through the lenses of young Nagas

Young Nagas have mixed feelings today - some are celebrating, some are crying and angry but the majority is baffled by the sudden, unanticipated declaration of the “Naga Peace Accord” by PM Modi in Delhi on 3rd August 2015. In this confused state, the apparent studied silence of Naga intellects and patriots is deafening. We were expecting somebody to explain the present Naga imbroglio and also tell the Naga story truthfully to the young Nagas in clear terms without any bias, fear or favor. The recent Peace Accord has the potential of reshaping our Naga history and therefore the young Naga intellects can no longer remain complacent at this juncture. Having much to learn with many shortcomings on my part and not intended to hurt anybody’s sentiments this piece is being written to evoke and stir the minds of the young Naga Thinkers.Undeniably there have been many confusing and incongruous statements made by the GOI’s Interlocutor Mr. R.N. Ravi and the IM particularly on the issue of sovereignty and integration. Even more perplexing is the speech made by Mr. T.R. Zeliang CM, on 15th August 2015 that “the Accord …. a broad framework …. once it is finalized…consultation would be held before finalizing it”. What we cannot understand is the logic behind consultation for finalization after it is finalized! The 16 member Naga delegation ….to Myanmar to hold talks with the NSCN (K) told IANS on 18th August 2015 said “First of all we have to make NSCN (K) understand the Naga Accord signed between the government and the NSCN (IM)”. How can we expect the NSCN (K) or other factions to understand when the Naga Delegates like us do not know the contents? Allow me to pose 3 crucial questions to the Naga Leaders and NPGs: 1. Will the IM a. Go ahead with the peace deal if it is sharing but within the parameters and limitations of the Indian Constitution with a condition that negotiation/ dialogue for Sovereignty and Integration will continue, or b. Reject the Peace package if it turns out to be just an extension/ supplementation of Article 371A or modestly better than the 9 point and 16 Point Agreement or Shillong Accord but short of Sovereignty and Integration (all or none)? 2. The 3rd August Peace Accord: after Final Agreement and after revealing the contents of the Peace Accord a. if the IM can bring an honorable and acceptable settlement, no doubt they will take the credit but will the i. Other factions agree or continue to disagree? And if they agreed, ii. IM insist on other factions joining their fac tion only. b. if the deal is not acceptable to the Nagas: i. Can we, the Nagas, including all the 8 factions come together and plan out our next strategy? or ii. Do we continue the same Ceasefire with extortion and taxation? or iii. Do we go back to the beginning and prepare for another civil war? iv. If the Nagas will not go for civil war because the majority of them know now that the use of violent methods to achieve objectives is futile and worthless, will our society be eaten alive by mafia gangs shouting high political and religious slogans? 3. Is there a clause on laying down of arms in the new Peace Accord? Will there be a paradigm shift in gun culture and corruption – taxation and extortion? Nagas have the right to know these answers. After much suspense and speculation, it is indeed heartening and a relief to hear Th. Muivah talking about the “time for all groups to forgive and reconcile”. And I believe that he is truly sincere in what he said and I wish and pray that we could go a step further and take the initiative to ask for forgiveness from each other for the killings, extortions and taxations. I believe this would send a strong and positive message to the Nagas and we can then expect a “Chain Reaction”. Other factions are visibly unhappy with this peace accord signed between GOI and IM. If the IM can therefore, break the ice first by sincerely reaching out to the other factions and make peace with them and tell them “See this is what we have brought and we are willing to accept any other deal if it is better and good for the Nagas”. I believe this would soften the Naga people’s hearts and in turn gain their goodwill. Nagas want peace and I am sure forgiveness in true spirit is possible. After all, nobody is perfect but we want this bitterness and hatred to end someday, somewhere soon. Going by Naga tradition, the Naga Leaders and Tribal Leaders can go to Camp Hebron but they may not be able to give their blind endorsement if the contents are not made known to them before hand to take their consent first. Traditional courtesy and preservation of dignity of each tribe still matter and must not be treated lightly. Also, we cannot expect other factions to go to Camp Hebron for dialogue. When the Nagas were denied the right to speak during the visit of the two Prime Ministers of India J. Nehru and Burma N. Nu on 30th March, 1953 at Kohima the Nagas staged a total walk out in protest and humiliated the two premiers. Nagas cannot be cowed down with dogmatic imposition of any agreement upon them by a group whether it is good or bad. It invariably and ultimately fails, and the resentments caused always strengthen further the chain of hate and revenge. Perhaps we can learn from our own history so that we don’t repeat. To be pragmatic, we may not be able to attain sovereignty now and the attempt made by the IM to work out an honourable solution without compromising the Naga Sovereign issue, as the NSCN (IM) seems to be indicating is encouraging. We appreciate the difficulties and pressure faced by the IM since they have so much at stake. Nonetheless, if they have signed it sincerely on behalf of the Nagas, without any prejudice, and kept their best interests at heart, shouldn’t the Nagas be informed? If it is just a framework I am sure that the Naga people will be tolerant enough to study and rectify any disagreeable/ unacceptable terms. Keeping the contents surreptitiously with an excuse that it is “only framework and not final settlement” is not going down very well with the common Nagas as it has given rise to suspicion and usual mistrust again which is the ‘king of all Naga discord in the past’. The simple reason is, if it is just a draft and not the final agreement, why did PM Modi and IM in the first place, press the panic button by declaring the 3rd August Naga Peace Accord, and flashing it all over the world while keeping the contents in the locker? Now the PM Modi is using the Naga Peace Accord Deal as his launch pad in dealing with insurgency and militancy and proclaiming it to the whole world (see Dubai - India Diaspora on 17/08/2015). It is a good publicity no doubt but what about the Nagas - stakeholders who are totally in the dark? Nevertheless, it may still be achievable if the Naga leaders and all the 8 Factions can come above their differences and mutually agree to sit together with the Naga Tribal Leaders in a neutral platform, reason it out and make a conscientious decision. Are we willing to follow this age-old-proven Naga tradition? The consultation meeting at RCEMPA, Jotsoma, on 31st July, 2015 is significant but not enough. We need to have transparent and broad - based consultation inclusive of all the stakeholders - the Nagas. The 1951 Naga Plebiscite was successful because it was done openly by taking all the Naga tribes into confidence and giving them sufficient time to consider it and the leaders participating in it themselves. It was never done in a closed door meeting. While acknowledging and saluting the true Naga Patriots and their sacrifices, after going through the Independence Day speeches made by the Presidents of various factions, I am somehow made to believe that they are all singing the same song. We all Celebrate Naga Independence Day on 14th August and Naga Republic Day on 22nd March every year. But one thing is notably missing in all the speeches and that is - no faction is willing to admit their own mistakes and say we are sorry, forgive us. Dear Naga Leaders, as Nagas we have the same goal, same aspiration, same target and therefore, our destiny can never be different. We cannot keep on making value judgment on one another from our own perspective with “holier than thou” attitude. We all know what is possible and what is surreal. More than physical it is imperative to develop mental and emotional integration/ connection of all Nagas and all the factions at this juncture but regrettably it appears to be an uphill task at the moment. Therefore, instead of being rhetoric using jargonistic language against each other let us initiate the dialogue in our Naga Kitchen in simple and clear terms so that all Nagas will understand. If the Nagas are not willing and cannot understand each other we cannot expect the outside world to understand us and empathize with us. Let us look at the other side of the story - the Young Nagas’ view on the present scenario. After going through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp etc., I realize that the young Nagas are totally confused and lost. The depth of resentment and hatred expressed in the social media over the present Peace Accord is a depressing and disturbing fact, hard to ignore. This generation was born and brought up during the 1980s and the 1990s so their mental and psychological health was shaped by fierce civil (factional) war along with multiple and heavy taxations, extortion, and other forms of corruption. This confusion is again compounded by the recent blurry Naga Peace Accord and now they do not know whether they should be rejoicing or lamenting. Let me present samples of some of the comments posted by the Naga Youths in the Social Media; • “The package must be very good ….. but I don’t want to celebrate because I will not get my share and even if I get they will suck me dry again through extortion and taxation. So what is the point?” • “Corruption is here to stay. At this rate even if we get a package of the whole India budget we may still not be able to develop except for few more sky scrapers, private jets and investments offshore. The common Nagas will still ride on the riverbed roads without light. Of course the IBIs will be the maximum gainer.” • “Factions claim that taxation is their birthright, I tell you it is my birthright to give or not to give since I am also a Naga by blood and I have every right to know my future” • “If the Ministers, Autocrats, Bureaucrats with bodyguards cannot stop extortion and illegal taxation then give gun license to all the Nagas, if not, do not stop us from buying guns for self defense. The value of your life, my life and every Naga life is equal. You may say that it is not safe to keep guns but are we safe without guns when every Tom, Dick and Harry can issue Demand letter anytime at gun point?” • “In a way I feel that not getting Sovereignty at this juncture is good because our Nagas may annihilate each other in the line of factionalism and tribalism.” • “Any Accord/ agreement that are born out of blood soaked extortion and taxation will not last long. After all who is responsible for the present Naga Mess” • “Dear Naga leaders, you may get what you want but what happens thereafter? That is the million dollar question.” From these few spine-chilling comments, we can see that our young Nagas are not just mute spectators; they are watching every move cautiously and intelligently. We sense that the Naga Youth does not give much emphasis on factionalism and their ideologies; rather, there is an unquenchable thirst to know why, we, the Nagas are actually fighting. We can also infer that the Naga Youth today are annoyed, not because of the delayed outcome of the Naga Sovereign issue. They are rather angry and frustrated because they cannot pursue their dreams in their own land due to extortion, taxation and killing. They have developed a phobia, and an aversion to the very word “Naga Freedom Movement.” Fear is a mind-killer and many Nagas have turned tyrants, sowing seeds of fear into the minds of the Naga youth. We condemn the Indians for enforcing the draconian laws against us like the Assam maintenance of Public order Act 1953, Assam Disturbed Area Act 1953 and AFSPA of 1958; whereas we unleash even harsher acts upon our own Nagas dragging the Naga issue deliberately solely to boost their own self-centered ambitions in the guise of being a Naga Freedom fighter. Aren’t we the Nagas responsible for spoiling and pampering the factions like a bad, irresponsible parent while we suffer because of them? The blood-stained chain of hate and revenge with their terrible consequences must be broken. This task from heaven is not beyond the combined genius, wisdom, and hunger for healing. Unless we address these core issues, any accord or agreement may not bring lasting peace to our land because a faction may go, but another ten factions will sprout up just like the Hydra! Please feel the pulse of our youngsters. A Native American Wisdom says, “We do not inherit this earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” The aspirations of the present generation and their legitimate anger cannot be ignored anymore as the Naga future belongs to them. You cannot demand the confidence and trust of the young Naga generation by force - you have to win it. Dear Naga Leaders, enough of diplomacy and preaching on Unity and Reconciliation. Give suggestions and road maps to “the way forward” before the young Nagas completely lose their hope in your leadership! Do not mislead the Naga youth again – think about the possible reactions when sooner or later they realize that their very existence is being threatened. Majority of the Naga Youth today do not even know the significance of the Naga plebiscite held on the issue of Naga Sovereignty on 16th May, 1951. The verbal oath, taken with the severest of oaths during the blood smeared thumb impression campaign should be made known to the young Nagas. This is the oath spoken by all the Naga Clan Heads representing 99% of our Nagas “May my descendants (who deviate from this oath) meet with devastation, may they rot away and decay (as a tree that rots away from the inside); may they not be able to live up to others’ standards – may they always be behind others in whatever they do.” These are the severest of terms as it involves not only that generation but those yet to come, which includes our generation! The truth about the Historic Naga Plebiscite is very relevant today. The Nagas rejected the 16 Point Agreement and Shillong Accord because it was short of sovereignty. We the young Nagas are apprehensive of the present Peace Accord lest it turn out to be another infamous Shillong Accord or NNC/ NPC feud. We do not want the Naga history to repeat itself again. Yes, we will fight for Sovereignty even if it takes another century, but besides the usual blame game, extortion and taxation, do we have any roadmaps, steps that the young Nagas should be taking in this century in order to achieve sovereignty? If we don’t act now, a time will come when our children including your children will suffer after our land is twisted and warped into another Wild West. True, those inhuman tortures and killings by the Indians are forged deeply in our minds, Naga factional killings, fratricidal killings and endless humiliations that every single Naga family faced cannot be forgotten. It may be easier said than done, but if we truly want an honorable settlement, we all know that our only resolve is in learning to forgive others and ourselves, and show our children how to forgive, if we want to move forward. Dear young Nagas, we have to come out of our comfort zone if we want to bring a change. Facebook and WhatsApp are not enough. We have to speak the truth with love because “truth without mercy and love becomes deadly legalism”. We appreciate all the good works our leaders are doing including Tribal Hohos, NGOs, FNR, ACAUT etc. but we don’t have to depend entirely on them to bring a change. In fact they need our helping hand. Together we can break the Berlin Wall! To do that, let us travel back to our roots 60 – 70 years back, and learn our history properly. Plan and envision it now and set a target and see where we want to be 50 years from now! In conclusion, I challenge all the Naga Intellects and Thinkers to come out with constructive suggestions to make Nagaland a better place to live! Dr. Vetsutsoyi Swuro Bethel Medical Center Kohima