Fellow Nagas: This is a time where all Nagas of Nagaland, no matter which Tribe we belong, MUST wake up together…and I mean…REALLY WAKE UP TOGETHER…to the diabolical reality that is intricately being woven into the much touted Framework Agreement by the NSCN (IM) and attempting to have it reinforced through their secret “Competency Clauses”.
The Nagas of Nagaland are heading towards irrevocable disaster and the devastating consequences will not only impact us directly but upon all our children and all their children’s children for generations to come if the final settlement gets concluded in its present frame as is deviously being designed by the NSCN (IM).
This is dishonesty at its best and an outright betrayal of trust in clear sight as will be seen when you read on! It is therefore not the time for emotional fantasy about us as ‘Nagas without borders’ wanting to live with each other within the same all-encompassing boundary when the ground reality is going to be entirely different without territorial integration, however much we all want it to be so. The thoughts that I have repeatedly shared in the past reflects the ground reality of what is about to happen to the Nagas of Nagaland…if the final settlement is arrived at…AS IT IS. It is now incumbent upon every responsible Nagas of Nagaland to try comprehending and evaluating the unfolding reality pragmatically not emotionally.
When NSCN (IM) proclaims that “the State of Nagaland will cease to exist because it will become a Naga Nation” …understand that this is being emphasised by the NSCN (IM) without territorial/geographical integration.
The face value of a ‘Naga Nation’ may sooth the emotional sentiment of many gullible Nagas of Nagaland…but at ground zero what does this really mean? It simply means that our Naga brothers of Manipur, Arunachal and Assam will share equal rights as citizens of this ‘Naga Nation’ with the Nagas of Nagaland while at the same time enjoy their exclusive privileges within their Autonomous Regional Territorial Council…being conceded by the GoI because of the fact that there will be no territorial integration in the final settlement.
This starkly exposes the bottom-line of the intent of our Southern brothers in the NSCN (IM) which emphatically registers their ruthless philosophic intent that says “mine is mine, yours is ours”.
The determined uncompromising stand on the ‘Naga Flag’ is another issue that can only be seen as an additional ploy to reinforce our Southern brothers’ plan to entrench themselves in Nagaland…that will be declared as a ‘Naga Nation’ with this ‘Flag’ to confirm it in the post settlement era. Mark my word…the implication can be very damning which perhaps will go to the extent of our Southern brothers claiming their rights to even contest election in Nagaland, with their kitchen still in Manipur, because according to NSCN (IM), Nagaland will become a ‘Naga Nation’ for all Nagas irrespective of where they live.
It also strongly indicates that our Southern brothers are working extra hard to get a foothold in Nagaland to legitimately become the Prime Minister/Chief Minister in this make-believe Naga Nation…that suits Mr. Th Muivah’s situation very snugly. Otherwise the ‘Naga Flag’ becomes a symbol of irrelevance in a ‘shared sovereignty’ status within the Indian Constitution and in the absence of integration. Under this stated circumstance of reality, it is not worth stalling the peace process for.
Let us now take a closer look at the crafty web being woven into the structure of Pan Naga Hoho (PNH). The so-called “Naga Nation” will have two Houses: (1): the Upper House and (2): the Lower House. The latter will be represented by the elected members. The former will be manned by nominated representatives. According to NSCN (IM), PNH will have an absolute empowerment to nominate members into the Upper House. Now, any Bills that are to be passed by the Lower House will mandatorily require the approval of the Upper House without which such Bills cannot become an Act. What does this imply? Our Southern brothers of Manipur knows that they will hold a majority status within the PNH…as was prevalent in the present nonentity Naga Hoho…from where all the 14 Tribes of Nagaland had walked out.
They however want to replicate the same platform in the form of PNH and control the lives of the Nagas of Nagaland through their loyal nominated members of the Upper House…in the aftermath of the final settlement. It is with such a stranglehold control being envisaged that people like Gen. Ningkhan Shimray in a consultative meeting on the role of Youth in Nation Building on 18th May 2022 at Ukhrul concluded his speech by saying (quote): “Pan Naga Hoho is the highway to freedom” (Unquote).
It certainly is for our southern brothers but equally certainly not for the Nagas of Nagaland. Can any Nagas of Nagaland in their right senses accept such a settlement as an honourable settlement? And yet here we are all aggressively rooting for an early settlement without understanding the dangerous consequences it will bring in its aftermath.
It is on this analogy that I have repeatedly been hammering home my point of view that it is imperative for NSCN (IM) to come out openly with their “Competency Clauses” like the other NNPGs have and let the stakeholders know exactly what their future is going to be BEFORE the final agreement with the GoI and NOT AFTER the deed is done!
This is a firm collectively stand that all the Tribes of Nagaland must take to safeguard our future and the future of our younger generations at all cost.
It is in this context that the Nagas of Nagaland have no choice but to take a look back at our History of National Movement that amply records the fact that our Southern brothers of Manipur declined to join the movement when the Nagas needed them the most. Yet today they have a stranglehold on not only the organization called NSCN (IM) but also spearheading the negotiation with the GoI…trying to decide the fate of the Nagas of Nagaland without letting us know exactly what our future is going to look like.
On this issue I have abssolutely no reservation in supporting the views of Uncle S.C. Jamir that our Southern brothers should find their exclusive solution in Manipur and leave the fate of Nagas of Nagaland to our own…since it is certain that integration is not going to be a part of the solution.
The Nagas of Nagaland is more than capable of taking care of its own. Apart from the obnoxious burden of uncontrolled multiple taxation/extortion, we are tired of all the half truth being peddled for decades. Nagas of Nagaland have been magnanimous in not disowning our southern brothers though tradition would have it otherwise and it is incumbent upon them to honestly acknowledge this fact and tread more honourably…not with such questionable intent as has been reflected above.
It’s about time for the NSCN (IM) to stop all their deadly clandestine non-transparent manoeuvres and come out in the open showing due respect to the stakeholders as is rightly theirs.
Having said that, it is also equally the responsibility of the Nagas of Nagaland to put the whole picture on a canvas and seriously consider whether such scenery can be considered as an acceptable solution for the Nagas of Nagaland. If not…then learn to stand up for what we believe is right without fear or favour.
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