Dr. K. Hoshi
Nagas are neither demanding independence from India nor fighting against India to secede from it. We are defending our own country. Nagas are only asking India to withdraw from forceful occupation. That was the stand of the Nagas.
“Solution based on the historical and political rights of the Nagas” sounds very pleasing and looks very attractive in writing but the content of the definition had not been expounded in clear terms. “Unique history of the Nagas” was recognized by India but people are yet to be fully educated on the content of the definition.
The Nagas had no script of its own. Illiteracy had denied the Nagas of recorded history and documentation. Nevertheless, it did not mean Nagas had no history. Nagas had its own unique history that was passed on, from generation to generation through oral tradition. Recalling our history as “from time immemorial” is unrealistic. We can’t convince the world with such imaginative monumental phrase. It has to start from a point where our memory could take us. What matters is the solid basis of our history on which we derive our historical right and not on the over-stretched length of our history.
The genetic make-up of Naga blood, Naga history of migration and settlement, the ethnicity of the Naga that are entirely different from India and Indians formed the basis of irrefutable historical right of the Nagas.
The Naga right to be independent is well-documented, thanks to the past Naga leaders who had the vision to take the calculated and systematic political steps. The memorandum submitted by the Naga Club to the Simon Commission in 1929 laid the foundation of documented historic political step.
Other historic political steps undertaken by the visionary leaders of Naga National Council (NNC) include-
1. The declaration of the Naga independence on 14th August 1947, one day ahead of India’s independence,
2. The voluntary Plebiscite of 16th May 1951 in which, 99.9% of the Naga people opted for complete independence.
3. The boycott of India’s first Parliamentary election in 1952.
4. The establishment of the Federal Government of Nagaland on 22nd February 1956. This political step completed the process of forming a de-facto sovereign nation.
Finally by fate or design, India’s forced annexation of Naga land was proved to the world when it slapped the Nagas with Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958. The inhuman atrocities committed on the Nagas under AFSPA and the near total annihilation led to a situation of despair.
Nagaland State was born out of rape in such situation of despair. Statehood became a reality but the caravan of Naga national politics moved on. The spirit of nationalism refused to die but the political institution and the government was badly fragmented. What happened thereafter was a dreaded story best not told to posterity.
The undying Naga national politics finally led India to admit that it is a political problem that needs political solution. By doing that, it recognized the existence of the Nagas and their historical and geo-political rights. In essence, the existence of statehood is supposed to cease then and there. Consciously or sub-consciously, the Nagas had regained the opportunity to pick up from where it was forced to break. The Indo-Naga political talk was given a new twist.
Today, as the people talk about solution, the phrase; “solution before election” is the cry and “solution, honorable and acceptable to all” are the catch-words while “any alternative arrangement” has become the nadir of bargain.
Any solution short of sovereignty can’t be honorable. Many Naga patriots had sacrificed their lives for sovereignty. That was their honour. Without honouring their honour, honourable solution will not be honourable in true sense.
When Nagas are not demanding independence from India, it makes no sense to place before India, the charter of demands. It is for India to offer and not Nagas to demand. If India is prepared to offer something for the sake of peace in the lands of Naga as a temporary solution, the Nagas have the liberty to decide whether to accept it or reject it. Yet, it must not be forgotten that, solution sans sovereignty will not guarantee permanent peace. The flame of sovereignty is unquenchable giving the fact that, even if one section of people gives up on the way, another section of people are prepared to carry on the march till the final destination of sovereignty is reached.
Sovereignty is the only acceptable solution. “Acceptance” is reciprocal to “Offer” but demand connotes shamelessly asking for something that is not rightfully ours’. The question of “acceptable” will come only when there’s an offer and not demand.
“Peace talk” and “peace process” are diluted phrases used to indoctrinate and brain-wash the young Naga minds so that words like “sovereignty” or “independence” are long forgotten by the younger generations. Peace is not mere absence of violence. Holistic peace is absence of disturbance both mentally and physically. Peace is not a substitute word for sovereignty or independence. Peace talk or peace process is an exercise, political or otherwise, to end that disturbance caused by torture, both physical (violence) and mental. Endless peace process is not peace but suspense and endless anxiety.
“Any alternative arrangement” is a phrase manifest of frustration and desperation. It is obvious that the understanding of the proponents is limited to mean anything under the sun on top of statehood. Such blind proposition is bad politics devoid of philosophy. How can “any alternative arrangement” be honourable and acceptable? Naga national politics is not any alternative arrangement politics. It is not for barter. It is illogical to think that “any alternative arrangement” will have logical conclusion. Sovereignty alone is the ultimate logical conclusion.
“Economic sovereignty” is another phrase popularly used by a section of Naga elites. The proponents of economic sovereignty without geographical boundaries would do well to name any one country whose sovereignty is founded on this political theory. Euro has broken the currency wall of Europe but not their geographical walls. It is foolishness to draw political equation from such policy of economic liberalization.
Integration is another issue that the Nagas no doubt holds dear. Consolidation of all contiguous Naga areas is a State subject giving the fact that it is promised and incorporated in Article 371A of the Indian constitution. That, it is a State subject was further proved by the three resolutions of the Nagaland State Assembly. In contrast, sovereignty is a subject free from all bondage. Neither is integration homologous nor a prelude to sovereignty. Naga national politics encompasses all contiguous Naga areas. Integration is integral to sovereignty. Integration is automatic when sovereignty is attained. The parallel pursuit of integration and sovereignty had only complicated the Naga national politics.
Emotional integration is our birth right. Emotion is a feeling to love and be loved. No one can stop us from loving our own Naga fellows in other States or country. Love is free. Nagas need no permission from others to be emotionally integrated. It was there from the beginning of our history. No one has taken it away from us. No one is also against socio-cultural integration. It is only when the pursuit for emotional or socio-cultural integration has hidden political agenda that the people are against it.
Solution will come before election only if there is political will of all parties involved. Going by the political developments within the last few months, it is unlikely that solution will come before election. The political drama surrounding the search for solution had only served the ideals of “cutting across party lines” politics that has the potential to turn the impossibilities into possibilities in the new government formation after the election. The laws of attraction said; “opposite poles attract”. Opposite poles will attract only when brought together by a man. It requires a third force to make the two forces attract each other. Anything is possible when politics of today is not philosophy but ruling by opportunists.
Election time is the time to sing solution soprano by all. Even a non-singer becomes a bathroom singer. The high tone rhetoric on solution by State politicians during election should not be taken seriously. The only and one step the State politicians can take is either to abstain from contesting or resign from Member of Legislative Assembly. I, for one will choose neither. Naga national politics is sacrosanct to all Nagas. It is above State elections. I would rather not defile it but cherish it.
