The dialogue between the Government of India and the Naga political groups is meant to find a peaceful and honourable solution to the long-standing Naga political issue.
The Naga peace process has been going on for many years, carrying with it the hopes, expectations and patience of the people. The dialogue between the Government of India and the Naga political groups is meant to find a peaceful and honourable solution to the long-standing Naga political issue. The people continue to hope that this process will eventually bring lasting peace and a better future.
At the same time, there is a concern that needs to be openly discussed: Have the prolonged peace talks, perhaps unintentionally, made it easier for the Naga political groups (NPGs) and their workers to move around freely and collect taxes from the public?
This is not an attempt to question the Naga political aspiration or the importance of the peace process. The political dialogue must continue. Rather, it is a concern about what is happening on the ground and how ordinary people and the business community are experiencing the situation.
Because of the relatively peaceful atmosphere created by the ongoing dialogue, political groups and their workers are able to operate more openly than during periods of serious conflict. While such freedom of movement may be necessary for political engagement, it can also make it easier for individuals to approach businessmen, contractors, government employees and ordinary citizens for financial contributions or taxation.
The question, therefore, is not whether the peace talks should continue. They must continue. The real question is whether the peace process should also bring a gradual reduction in the financial pressure faced by the people.
Peace Talks and Ground Reality
For an ordinary citizen, peace is not simply about leaders sitting across a table and holding discussions. Peace is also about being able to run a business, earn a living and live without the constant worry of financial demands from different quarters.
If the peace process continues for years and taxation continues alongside it, people may naturally begin to ask whether the benefits of the peace process are actually reaching the grassroots.
The business community has long expressed concerns about multiple taxation. For small traders, contractors and entrepreneurs, repeated financial demands can become a serious burden. They can increase the cost of doing business, discourage investment and make it more difficult for young people to start or expand businesses.
At the same time, we must recognise that the political groups may have their own understanding and reasons for seeking financial contributions. Therefore, this issue should not become a reason for confrontation. It should instead be addressed through dialogue, understanding, accountability and mutual respect.
The Need for Greater Responsibility
The peace process carries enormous expectations among the people. Therefore, everyone involved has a responsibility to ensure that the atmosphere created by the peace talks is not misused.
If political workers are able to move more freely because of the peaceful environment, that freedom should also come with greater responsibility and restraint.
The people should not be left with the feeling that the peace process has simply made it easier for different groups to approach them for money.
A genuine peace process should gradually create an environment where people feel less pressure, less fear and greater economic freedom.
A Question worth Reflecting Upon
The Naga political issue is complex and cannot be resolved overnight. The people understand that negotiations require patience, compromise and time.
But while waiting for a final settlement, the people also have legitimate expectations. If the peace talks are bringing political groups closer to the negotiating table, should they not also bring ordinary people closer to a life free from multiple taxation and unnecessary financial pressure?
This is not a question meant to create conflict. It is simply a question that deserves honest reflection. The intention should not be to weaken the NPGs or undermine the peace process. On the contrary, it is about making the peace process more meaningful for the people by ensuring that it remains genuinely people-centred.
The Naga people have supported, endured and contributed to the political journey for generations. As the peace process continues, they deserve to see positive changes not only in political relations but also in their everyday lives.
Peace talks should open the way for political understanding and reconciliation, not inadvertently make the collection of taxes from the people easier.
Ultimately, the success of the Naga peace process should not be measured only by the agreement reached between the negotiating parties. It should also be measured by what the common people experience in their daily lives.
If the people can live with dignity, conduct their businesses without undue pressure, pursue their livelihoods freely and look towards the future with confidence, then the real meaning of peace will have begun to reach the grassroots.
Peace must not remain only at the negotiating table. It must be felt by the people.
A Shyerhunlo Lorin
A concerned citizen