Once again there is problem along the Nagaland-Assam border with the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) recently enforcing an indefinite economic blockade of Nagaland by blocking the Mariani-Mokokchung road. As we all know, this route is a lifeline for Nagaland as it is used to carry essential commodities from Mariani in Assam’s Jorhat district to Mokokchung, Tuensang and Zunheboto districts in Nagaland. So for the Nagas, every time there is some misunderstanding on the border area, such blockades are bound to be used as retaliation from the other side. However some disturbing things about the oft-repeated trouble in the areas especially bordering Mokokchung with Assam is that they are as a result of what appears to be irresponsible reporting by a very small section of the local media in Assam. Many times it has been noticed that unverified and baseless reporting by local scribes has only created more harm than good. The latest crisis in the border area has also been blamed on some “vested interested non-Ahom people” giving out “false information” to the media, police and administration. So you see the danger of misleading, incorrect information, unverified claims and speculation etc. Media people everywhere including in Nagaland they have to be very careful while reporting and they should not look for sensationalism especially when it concerns sensitive things. In fact journalists should not contribute to more conflict but rather they should be facilitating dialogue and understanding across the divide.
In this regard we must appreciate the positive role being played by the Border Peace Coordination Committee (Assam-Nagaland). Many a times, this people-to-people forum of Nagas and Ahoms have been able to bring peaceful resolution of conflicts and ensure peaceful coexistence of the two peoples. Here both the Assamese and Nagas should be careful of ‘outsiders’ especially illegal immigrants who will try to create a wedge between the two peoples who have been living peacefully since time immemorial. In fact a few years ago Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had cautioned that a ‘third party’, comprising mostly the illegal Bangladeshi migrants, is playing a crucial role in keeping the dispute hot among the people of both the States. This is a serious issue and hopefully both the Government of Nagaland and Assam will look into this aspect while attempting to address the border problem. In the past, the Ao Students Conference (AKM) has been alerting the Nagaland government on the threat posed by illegal migrants. The civil society groups in Assam should also put pressure on the Tarun Gogoi government to extend its hand of cooperation to Nagaland so that both the State Governments of Assam and Nagaland can work together on such people based concerns without waiting on New Delhi.
Coming to the Assam-Nagaland border dispute, many well meaning people including political leaders have been reiterating the need to resolve it outside the court of law. Given the complexity as also the sensitivity of the problem, any decision taken by a court of law in relation to the Assam-Nagaland border row would be detrimental and the reiteration for seeking an amicable solution through mutual understanding should be explored. Our Chief Minister and Home Minister of the present government have also on several occasions argued this point. It will be only fair to say that a court diktat would lead to a winner-loser situation and this will ultimately not allow the people on either side to live peacefully. The idea of a political settlement therefore has to be appreciated by both the State Governments including the NGOs and civil societies on both side of the border. These calls for a more meaningful cross border dialogue and the ongoing efforts of civil society groups like the Border Peace Coordination Committee (Assam-Nagaland) must be further enhanced.
