INDIA

Nagaland: Dilatory Dialogue

The Naga Hoho (apex body of Nagas), Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA), and Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) boycotted the February 26, 2019, meeting proposed by the Government of India (GoI) interlocutor for Naga Talks, R.N. Ravi. According to a March 1, 2019, report, these organisations boycotted the meeting on the grounds that the Centre was not sincere about arriving at a permanent solution, despite inking the Framework Agreement as far back as on August 3, 2015. Naga Hoho ‘president’ Chuba Ozukum observed,

…In our previous meetings, he (Ravi) had always told us that the peace talks covered all points and that there will be a comprehensive solution. He had also said that the talks were in a very advanced stage. However, the much-desired solution continues to elude the Nagas. Their (Centre’s) behaviour speaks volumes of their insincerity and the lack of political will towards solving the problem. So, we didn’t find any reason to meet him…

Further highlighting the political gimmicks, Ozukum stated,

Ram Madhav (the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party leader in charge of the northeast region) had said ahead of last year’s Nagaland election (2018) that the polls were needed for solution. A BJP vice president recently said the solution will come after Lok Sabha elections. So, they are contradicting each other. Enough is enough. The Government of India is not sincere enough to resolve the issue. It is playing with the Nagas and trying to divide them further…

Moreover, NMA is reportedly unhappy over the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA’s) ‘harassment’ of a section of members of the Khango Konyak-led faction of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K). NIA is reportedly trying to shift cases registered against the members of the group outside Nagaland. The Khango Konyak-led faction joined the peace talks as part of the working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) on January 29, 2019. NMA had played a crucial role in bringing the outfit to the peace talks.

Ravi was in Nagaland to update the Naga civil society groups about the progress made by GoI on the Framework Agreement signed with the NSCN-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM). Since the signing of the accord in 2015, GoI has widened the scope of the talks and engaged NNPG.

The boycott clearly indicates growing unhappiness amongst key stakeholders due to the several and contradictory positions taken by the Centre and the ruling party from time to time.

However, the Interlocutor R.N. Ravi, in an interview published on March 1, tried to put the blame back on the Naga groups. Claiming that “the progress made under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been unprecedented” he argued that “If the Naga negotiators reciprocate with pragmatic flexibilities, which is the essence of any political negotiation, then final solution can be reached tomorrow”.

The reality is, even after over three years and five months since the framework agreement was signed, many old issues remain to be addressed, including the integration of Naga areas, which NSCN-IM insists remains a ‘legitimate right’ based on unique ‘Naga History’, but is vociferously opposed by the neighbouring State of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur; as well as a separate Flag and constitution.

Highlighting the issue of Naga integration, NSCN-IM ‘ato kilonser (Prime Minister)’ Thuingaleng Muivah, in an interview published by Northeast Live on February 16, 2019, had revealed that “there will be one Nagalim, only one government our flag and our constitution must be there. This is the stand we have given…”

This stand is clearly not in line with what the Government has offered. In his March 1 interview, Ravi disclosed,

Government of India is aware of Naga people’s sentiment over the flag. It must be respected. Our position is that the Naga flag should be located in the Pan Naga cultural body, which would be a common platform of all the Nagas. Similarly, the final agreement, which would have to be duly incorporated in the Constitution of India, could be the Naga “Yehzabo”. However, the Naga negotiators are not agreeable to it.

In a more worrying development, Muivah in his February 16 interview, had argued,

They (GoI) want to use the NNPGs as parallel force, ok…is that the way? You see problem is not created from our side but from their side and the problem they created they are finding difficult to solve, you know the Indians are to blame themselves, you know, not blame us… if they betray, its clear and simple, it’s their mistake.

The recent developments are not surprising given the snail’s pace of progress after the much hyped signing of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement. The growing restiveness among Naga groups is a cause of significant concern in a State that has seen long decades of insurgency.

Giriraj Bhattacharjee
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management