Dr Asangba Tzudir
The recent appeal by the ENPO President urging people “not to demand positions” comes at a moment of both ‘achievement’ and uncertainty for the people of Eastern Nagaland. Therefore, the civic reception and prayer programme marking the culmination of the signing ceremony is not merely a celebration of an event, but it is also a moment to take a pause collectively and reflect on what unity truly means in a long and often painful journey.
The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) has, over the years, articulated genuine concerns rooted in historical neglect, uneven development, and the quest for dignity and political recognition. However, the caution against demanding positions highlights a deeper anxiety, that the momentum toward resolution could be weakened by internal differences, fragmentation, or even a premature scramble for power.
In this context, the appeal is not an argument against representation or leadership, but a gentle reminder that political processes, especially those involving sensitive arrangements demand patience, trust, and moral restraint. When ‘ambition’ overtakes collective purpose, even legitimate causes risk losing its credibility.
The way forward, therefore, must be grounded in a mature understanding of unity rather than uniformity, but as shared commitment. Unity does not mean silencing dissent or suspending critical debate. Rather, it means recognising that disagreements must be navigated within a framework of mutual respect and long-term vision. While the strength of the Eastern Naga movement has always rested on its collective voice, shaped through tribal bodies, preserving that collective character is crucial at this stage.
Equally important is the reminder that such political agreements through signing do not resolve historical wounds. Developmental justice, cultural dignity, and social healing require sustained cooperation beyond formal arrangements. Unity, therefore, cannot and should not be reduced to a ‘slogan’. It must translate into ethical leadership, inclusive and transparent decision-making, while also centering on inclusive dialogue at every level of the negotiation starting from village, tribe, and region.
The current development also brings the larger Naga context and which also demands serious reflection. The Eastern Naga question cannot and should not be isolated from the broader Naga imagination. While aspirations can be diverse and which is quite natural, the confronting challenge lies in preventing diversity from degeneration and further fragmentation to the extent of even causing rivalry. As such, the call to avoid demanding “positions" should also be seen as an appeal to rise above narrow calculations while also affirming in a shared moral horizon. The present moment also serves a simple truth about the need for political maturity which is often not tested at the heights of struggle but at the threshold of achievement.
The way forward, then, calls for ethical reflection, so also in consideration of the larger Naga aspirations. While it calls for unity, it should formalize within a collective purpose for the sake of common good rooted in the very idea of development from being ‘underdeveloped’ to being ‘developed’.
Reflecting once again on the appeal by the ENPO President made to the Eastern Nagas, “not to demand positions”, this very ‘opportune moment’ begs a moral question - More than the celebration, can the signing of the FNTA simply be viewed from the prism of development?
(Dr Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com).
