Vaprumu Demo
Tiring 12 years of negotiation and nearing 60 rounds of exhaustive talks between the NSCN(IM) and the GOI unfortunately, have not yield any desired result beyond the highfaluting rhetoric and deception that the talks are moving in the right direction and with every talk some progress are being made. Which leads one to cogitate what direction and progress have we experience during this journey of negotiation, save the escalated factional clashes for superficial supremacy within themselves and the lost-hope-people mourning over a forgotten peace and a forfeited reconciliation. The rather exaggerated negotiation process has not generated any difference and relief to the miseries of the people, considering the type and degree of faction related hatred and crime prevailing in the land. At least the GOI has harvested, or made to harvest the fullest benefit of the negotiation by neither, readily conceding to any of the demands of its counterpart, nor exerted by circumstances to resort to reckless sacrifice of its huge resources and man power, the way it did during the period preceding the negotiation. Should immobile negotiation of this type prolong it will only serve the silent purpose of the GOI, which will unilaterally gain in every aspect with nothing to lose or sacrifice or waste. The GOI would not have cherished any thing more from what is happening or not happening right now.
The point here is definitely not that the GOI should not feel comfortable. It is fine with us but in a similar manner we ought also to feel equally happy and comfortable with the progress, if any of the negotiation. But the question here is whether we are honestly feeling comfortable and confidence of a positive response from the dilly-dally GOI. What can be the possible reasons for the tepid attitude of the GOI as well as the drawback of the Nagas are worth pondering. The GOI, having declared loud and clear that the issues of sovereignty is out of question and territorial integrity of neighboring states will remain intact, what possibly can be the talking points of negotiation without them? The other way round, when these basic issues can not be negotiated with the GOI what can be the basis for the Nagas to negotiate or what purpose can the negotiation serve without them? That is, in such a situation, unless some kind of unprecedented but affordable or give able offer is boldly initiated by the GOI and it is largely acceptable to the Nagas, the current negotiation, hanging in suspense, between the two talking parties will inevitably break down without having achieved any meaning and purpose.12 years is long enough and about 60 rounds of talk are more than required to negotiate even down to some give able and acceptable settlement or to decide the utility or futility of prolonging the negotiation.
Otherwise the question is how many more years and how many more rounds of talk are required for the negotiation to end with a real sense of elevation. Going by the present trend the negotiation appears to be heading nowhere, except impregnating another situation for the unsettled issue to bounce back to square one - conflict. That is, if at all the Naga issue must end with certain honor and pride, the way it is generally aspired. We were neither convinced with the creation of statehood, nor a status under the External Affaires Ministry, nor the integration of the Naga inhabited areas, nor a special provision under Art 371(A) of the Constitution at different point of time and in some way till date. The GOI knows that what was given and said to be a big offer, has not pacified or appeased the politically restive Nagas, which therefore, necessitate that the ongoing negotiation be made worthy of a true negotiation in all sense of the term. What is, otherwise recognized as a political problem, definitely can not be played down to that of a normal or constitutional problem. Political problem demands political solution beyond constitutional redress and political solution demands strong political will and wisdom from all sides. Similarly we also know that anything given to or taken by any group here after must be above what was earlier agreed or given or taken. Or else what comes out may not be accepted well as a matter to be glorified or honored. Or else deriding and condemning the 16th Point Agreement - the foundation of the statehood under the Indian Union - will turn out to be completely farcical. Or else the consequent lose of countless human lives and other sacrifices made for a definite cause will, when badly negotiated, go down in the annals of the Naga history as an act of mockery and madness. Or else it is pointless to fool each other with a false assumption that finally one of the two will completely yield to the other.
Negotiation, absolutely is the ultimate civilized means for solution to any dispute or conflict and it must be patiently emphasized but if, in our context there can be no meeting point of ‘come and reach’ some where or ‘give and take’ some thing, why shatter the high hope built by the people, after all every thing was and is done professedly for the people and their future.
