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North East : Naga peace process : Anxiety in neighbouring states

	December 20, 2004

Even as the Centre and NSCN(IM) leaders T. Muivah and Isak Swu are preparing to

hold formal talks next month to find a way out to solve the five-decade old Naga problem, neighbouring states are watching the whole peace process with anxiety as the rebel group is reportedly determined to pursue its demand for establishing a Greater Nagalim by annexing the Naga inhabited areas in these states. Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have already declared that they will not agree to any proposal which may take away even an inch of their territory to appease the Nagas.



In Assam, although there appears to be a studied silence on the part of civil society groups over the territorial issue, all are reportedly prepared with plans of action to oppose Naga claims at the “appropriate time”.

An influential youth group, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chhatra Parishad, says it is “monitoring developments” in the wake of the Swu-Muivah visit to India and has also opposed the demand for the integration of parts of Assam.

The powerful All Assam Students Union (AASU) says there hasn’t been a softening of its stand on this question. It is learnt that the coordination between the AASU, the All Manipur Students Union and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union still holds against the Naga demand since all the three states are affected by it.



“When the time comes, the AASU, the AMSU and the AAPSU will join hands again to oppose the integration bid,” said AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya. This is in line with the state government’s position: an all-party resolution in the state Assembly against the NSCN (I-M)’s claim to Assam areas is also in place.



There have been skirmishes and tension along hot spots on the Assam-Nagaland border at Merapani in Golaghat district and in the Karbi-Anglong area because of alleged attempts by armed Naga groups to encroach on Assam land. Support comes from an unusual source: the banned United Liberation Front of Assam, which is known to be close to the rival NSCN (K) group. The ULFA has been quick to reiterate its strong opposition to the view on integration.

In a statement, ULFA chairman Arobinda Rajkhowa criticised intellectuals and historians in Assam for maintaining a “studied silence” over the NSCN’s demand for the integration of large parts of Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, North Cachar, Hailakandi and Silchar districts of the state with the proposed Naga homeland. He appeared to have ignored consistent statements and views by many who have taken a tough anti-integration stand.

Equally strong is the opposition in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. According to a former minister from Tirap district, T.L. Rajkumar the Tirap-Changlang Peoples Forum (TCPF) has unanimously endorsed that in “any decision to be taken during the Indo-Naga talks affecting or concerning Tirap and Changlang (bordering Nagaland), the people of those districts must be consulted and taken into confidence.”



The TCPF includes present and former elected leaders, panchayat members, student union presidents and a 12-member executive body headed by a chairman and a co-chairman, civil supplies minister CC Singpho and Rajkumar respectively. Amid fears that the Centre may slice away parts of Arunachal in the interests of a solution to the Naga problem (an earlier proposal was that Tirap and Changlang be made a Union Territory under the Nagas), Rajkumar said while everyone has supported the peace process, no one in these districts wanted to be linked to the problem or become part of a larger Nagaland.

Rajkumar said that a strong reaction from the state government was the need of the hour. At a meeting in Itanagar, the TCPF appealed to all political parties, public leaders, student organisations, human rights activists and NGOs in the state to be alert to any negotiation between the Centre and the NSCN (IM) leaders that might jeopardise Arunachal’s integrity.



The Forum called a one-day bandh (work stoppage) on December 16 as a mark of protest against the insurgency related killings in the two districts.

The influential AAPSU also reiterated its stand that the apex student body would do everything needed to protect Arunachal Pradesh. The AAPSU called a meeting of all its top district student and college union leaders on 15 December to discuss the issue. In New Delhi, the state’s two Lok Sabha Members, Tapir Gao and Khiren Rijuju, also met Home Minister Shivraj Patil to convey to the government that no agreement involving Arunachal Pradesh should be arrived at without taking the people and the state government into confidence.

The opposition in Manipur to any proposal to establish a Greater Nagaland has been rather bloody. The state often witnesses Naga-Kuki clashes over the issue. During the first round of Delhi Talks with the NSCN(IM) during the tenure of the Vajpayee Government, the state was virtually set ablaze by the people, especially student bodies, when the Centre brought a proposal to redemarcate Manipur territory. Even the State Assembly was set on fire by the opponents.



Hurdles

There is no gainsaying that the Naga issue is beset with many hurdles. The two most fundamental of these are the questions of Sovereignty and Territory.

According to observers, it is unlikely anyone would be still nurturing any illusion that sovereignty can be had through niceties exchanged across the table, or for that matter by scoring debating points. Probably the NSCN (I-M) leaders would bring up the matter, but this would be more in the nature of posturing, compelled by events in the bitter history of the Naga struggle.

The Shillong Accord of 1975 is precisely one of these, for its rejection was the basis of the birth of the undivided NSCN. The Accord signatories agreed to give up the idea of Naga sovereignty and were termed betrayers by those who formed the NSCN.



Although there is no doubt that the Nagas want peace, the question is would they also accept a solution that has been consistently rejected by the NSCN(IM) itself ? Again, if there is to be another accord now, what possibly can it have more than the Shillong Accord, which spawned such discord among the Nagas? For even the idea of a Greater Nagaland is not alien to the 1975 accord.

The consultative meetings, the two Naga leaders are planning in Dimapur with Naga civil society representatives, are meant to thrash out these issues. But here too, these consultative meetings are likely to end up as reunion of supporters, for the NSCN (I-M) had vehemently ruled out any reconciliation with supporters of the NSCN (K) or the Naga National Council.



Observers say there is no easy answer to the territory question either. Short of sovereignty, the NSCN (I-M) leaders would be looking at the Greater Nagaland (Nagalim) demand as the trophy to walk home with but all know where the opposition would come from. The Government of India is unlikely to concede this demand until a broad consensus is reached with all the concerned states; such a consensus is unlikely in the foreseeable future.



Govt keen to talk to all insurgent groups

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reiterated that his Government is keen to initiate peace talks with all insurgent groups and to find solutions to the problems facing the region. Talking to a 28-member delegation of MPs from the Northeast on Saturday, December 18, he said the Centre is willing to talk to all the insurgent groups who are ready for a dialogue with the government. However, this may not extend to the ULFA, since the outfit does not seem to be ready for an unconditional talks.



In their first representation to the Prime Minister, the MPs’ forum submitted a comprehensive memorandum asking him to take steps for restoration of peace in the region and faster development.

The 28 MPs, who met Singh for about 30 minutes, suggested setting up of a regional infrastructure development authority, under the central government for the N-E, flood control measures, introduction of more international flights from Guwahati and reservation of 100 per cent of jobs in the C and D grades for candidates from the region, among a host of other demands in the memorandum, said BJP, MP Indramoni Bora, who was part of the delegation.

The delegation was led by Union Ministers from the region P R Kyndaih and B K Handique and AGP MP Arun Kumar Sarma.



Peace process, not a sign of Government’s weakness



Earlier during the week, Home Minister Shivraj Patil rejected the Opposition charge that the UPA Government was following a weak-kneed policy towards militants. Defending the Government’s policy of initiating peace process with all militant factions in the country, the Minister said : “It would be wrong to mistake our policy as a sign of weakness. We want to resolve the problems peacefully, but that does not mean that we will lower our guard. State power is an option that can always be exercised.”



The Home Minister was replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) on December 14 on the internal security situation in the country.