Nagaland state’s present crisis reveals a quagmire of issues coupled with the historical tensions between conflicting structures, varying systems and competing processes.
Many hold the opinion that this crisis is not confined to the issue of women’s reservation alone. Rather, they are of the view that the escalation is related to the breach of agreement by the government, imposition of policies without due informed dialogue with people and perceived infringement on special provisions in Article 371A.
And now the pent up anger against state violence, state apathy, systemic corruption and the resentment against the many issues that have accumulated and remain unresolved over the last few years have reached critical mass.
To use an illustration, the crisis is like an onion with many layers, each with its own complexities. Each layer needs to be engaged with as part of the whole through a comprehensive approach. This also means locating the onion within a very particular historical, political and cultural context.
Naga experience reveals that attempts to address the crisis only through the rule of law invariably presents the need to draw the distinction between legality and legitimacy. For instance, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (1958) is legally recognized by the Indian State, but its legitimacy is being contested by the people themselves who feel that the law violates their basic fundamental rights, and therefore does not preserve the rule of law. From an unrepresented peoples’ perspective while legality comes through law, legitimacy only comes through people’s acceptance and consent.
Clearly Nagas are struggling with the dilemmas of legitimacy and legality. And, because of the situation’s transitionary nature and the protracted character of the Naga political question, most people are caught between legitimacy and legality.
Consequently, the tensions between legitimacy and legality invariably create new dilemmas for the notions of truth, both philosophically and practically. The results are creating parallel realties that distort and hide the truth.
The Ugandan scholar Mahmood Mamdani says there are two kinds of truth: “truth that brings unresolved tensions to light; and truth that obscures, hides veils, masks the unpleasant facet of reality.” Furthermore, human experience informs us that structures based on power-over the people promotes and constructs a truth that obscures and suppresses its real nature.
It is in the chasm of legality and legitimacy that Nagas too are faced with the two kinds of truth that Mamdani talks about. Nagas need to choose either the truth that brings the unspoken and unresolved tensions to light, or the truth that obscures the unpleasant facets of reality. Tragically, the tendency has been to uphold the truth that obscures, rather than the one that gives light.
This has compounded the problems and has limited the role and capacity of truth as an ethical and political force for transformation.
Today Nagas need to rediscover truth as a light force that constructively and critically questions their reality, because truth is the key to transformation, and truth is what gives legitimacy.
“An Appeal to the Conscience” made by Christian representatives in Nagaland as a response to the present crisis presents a perspective to explore new ways of engaging with the different layers of the onion.
Indeed, this crisis has revealed the truth about “how we can limit and destroy ourselves,” while simultaneously clarifying “what needs to be done to match this perilous moment.” More importantly this recent Appeal made by the 20 signatories provides critical insight for Nagas about ‘what is’ and ‘what is required.’ The Nagas themselves need to define the different issues without masking the truth in order to find a resolution that is workable, sustainable and just.
This crisis has presented the present Nagas an opportunity “to re-examine old models and practices, and together, through a people’s dialogue and consultation begin the tedious democratic process of creating inclusive and empowering models in which Naga women, men and youth can respectfully participate and decide the course of our common future.”
While it is crucial for Nagas to express their profound discontentment against policies that are imposed without informed consultation, it is equally critical for Nagas to also identity and address aspects of internal cultural violence. After all cultures are constantly in flux as they do grow, evolve and change.
Now is an opportune time for Nagas to set truth free by going deep and peeling the layers of the onion!
