"Modi Govt has stopped consulting Naga civil society"
New Delhi
There is enough merit today to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break 'silence' on Manipur ethnic holocaust. The violence that looked innocuous tribal-non tribal conflict today has assumed an ominous dimension.
The central government's efforts so far are not yielding expected dividends. The heart-burn continues and the violence continues unabated. In a fresh incident of violence, the official bungalow of Manipur Industry Minister Nemcha Kipgen (only woman in the state cabinet) in Imphal West was set ablaze on Wednesday evening.
Ms Kipgen was elected on a BJP ticket to the state Assembly in 2022 from the tribal-dominated Kangpokpi seat. The overall message is dangerous. CM N Biren Singh and the saffron party are unable to protect even an official bungalow of a party colleague and a state minister.
What are the forces doing? "Without AFSPA and without a judicial magistrate moving around, the soldiers of central forces find their hands tied," says a retired military officer adding the "deep concern is that the basic reputation of the forces are at stake".
There are other issues coming in. The efforts of the centre to establish contacts with the civil society in Manipur -- both Meiteis and Kukis - have come a cropper so far. Kukis are categorically reluctant to attend any deliberations of the newly created Peace Committee headed by Governor Anusuiya Uikey.
"The sad part of the story is Manipur civil societies are not in talking terms mutually and even with the state Chief Minister Biren Singh. In Nagaland, we risked our lives, handled threats for near and dear ones and yet the Modi government is not talking to us since 2019. In the process, the Naga peace talks after making considerable progress is now stalled," says a Naga civil society leader on the condition of anonymity.
"Please do not quote me by name....whatever contacts we have may get jeopardised. But the centre has deviated from its 2017 formula when immense progress was made to work out a final peace agreement.
NNPG came up because civil society and village elders and Naga Tribes Council backed them," he told 'Nagaland Page'. "But once Governor R N Ravi was replaced, the centre changed its working strategy. It is today depending more on the so-called Rio-Himanta axis and people responsible for sabotaging a peace agreement were given free hand and power," he says.
"You seem to be frustrated...," I tried to quiz gently over the phone and the leader remarked, "Frustration is a small word. You are being humble .... you could have asked whether we have taken risk for our people or we jumped into a fray to commit suicide".
"The BJP central leaders and MHA have completely cut off all sincere engagements with the real stakeholders. Now I am ready to say let those who are power hungry continue in power...let us not disturb them. But let there be a Solution and let peace come....This is what I can say about our Naga leaders as well who want the status quo to persist permanently," said the civil society leader.
Answering questions, he further said : "The ultimate goal of any solution to the Naga conflict must be to bring long-lasting peace to the region. The prolonged conflict has had a devastating impact on both the people and resources of the region.
The people of Nagaland deserve the right to live in peace and free of the fear of violence. The voices of all stakeholders, including civil society, tribal councils, women's groups, and youth, must be heard".
"Whatever said and done, the GoI must have sincere political will which is above party politics and expansionist agenda. It is sad but at times we feel the central leaders are only focusing on making political gains". On this he further elaborated, "They want the state government to be a Double Engine and continue with the same driver who is a master in the art of derailment".
Answering another question, he said, "If this is the limit of achievement, where is the hope? We do not have hopes".
He further said, "The developments in Manipur have a multi-pronged impact in Nagaland. The stance taken by ten Naga legislators of Manipur will have immense impact as it has revived the forgotten chapter of Naga history of 1950s and 1960s...It will have an impact on our future".
To another question, he said, "The Naga civil society only wanted a solution to the age-old political problem. We did not want to defeat one chief minister or the other...We are not interested in who governs, it is a secondary question. Only voters can decide that".
ends
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