(An intellectual war for Naga political Solution)
K Ritse
Pfutsero Town
The mind-set of any people in group whether big or small determined the well-being of human life. When the mind-set of such group is fixed to a particular destiny; there is a conflict mind-set and resulted to intellectual war for years together. From there the problem probe-up and the mushrooming growth of problems continues in the years together and endlessly fought for our own right condemning each other for not listening each other’s right. The weaker or minority group is side lined and tried to dominate the whole scenario. Such is the case of the Naga political rights suppressed by the Government of India for more than half century and still the deadlock is there when intellectually reason out the various media discussion and latest Newspaper interview of R.N. Ravi, the current interlocutor between the GOI and NSCN (IM). It is not at all surprising to face such situation when compared to the global scenario of the various societies in the world in solving the social problems and the fight for recognition of a society as an independent state.
India is a vast country and there are numerous schools of thoughts while talking about the Naga political problem. Sometimes, it is rightly compared with the Kashmir political issue which is very adjacent to Pakistan (Muslim) country. The Northeast India has more delicacy of political and social issues. These complex issues of culture, traditions and use to social norms in the social diversity of race and its habits made a lot of differences in our dealings. Because of the mixture of many identical nature of life made too distance from that of the mainstream of Indian Hindu dominated social life. The social, political and cultural & traditional values of each and every society differ from one another. The great democratic Indian country comprised of all sections of society under the UNITY IN DIVERSITY makes India as the largest democratic country in the whole world. The central government finds it difficult to listen all sub-societies such as the Aryans, the Dravidians, the semi-negroes, and the mongoloid races dwelling in this vast country. As such at times the bottle neck policy of the central Govt. also created a big havoc to some section of people. In such situation the central government also noted such non-cooperation society as Terrorist, rebels, insurgencies, underground groups etc and considered as cessation groups. Such groups were treated as violators of the law of the land and many draconian laws were enacted against such hostile groups in order to eliminate them in toto. Therefore sometime the central government was rightly to ask what size of shoe the Nagas want from great Indian Govt. Because the shoe size of Punjab people, who are much higher and taller than that of Nagas ultimately need smaller size of shoe.
During the British colonial rule in India, the divide and rule, doctrine of lapse, excluded area etc were applied in India. At that time the Nagas and its contagious land were put in the dark side by naming naked Nagas, barbaric race, head hunters and treated as a wild ferocious animal having no decency in life. Till today the rest of the country because of the food habits considered Nagas as men eaters, dog, snake, cow, and all wild animal meat eaters. But the better side of the Naga story was the recognition of Naga quality of life by numerous British writers such as J.H.Huton, Miller and many Indian Army officers’ writers. The description of Naga quality of life ranging from straight forwardness, brave, honest, truthful, polite, generosity and accommodative attitude of all guests who ever come to the Naga villages. To warmly receive the guest and win the heart as a host was the motto of the Nagas at that period of time. When Nagas mingled with the advanced society in this present competitive and high tech- society the Nagas are too quick in picking up of life styles, fashions, manner& behaviors of other advanced elite group of societies. Now many scholars, philosophers, and eminent social activists in various corner of the world are continuously researching and their readings are often exposed in various social media across India to find out the solution. Opinions might be slight differ from each other to choose the right or wrong paths and it is jumble up in many approaches. It is badly divided in opinions but the truth shall sooner or later have a lasting conclusion. Nagas are living in a confusion stage of present generation. To choose the right path by ignoring the wrong path is also a matter of individual mind-set as to whether or not to discard individual profit or benefit is the stumbling block in decision making.
The word “SENTIMENT’ in the dictionary means a particular disposition of one’s mind towards a specific subject. The learned present interlocutor R.N.Ravi has rightly spelled out the truth of the Government’s mentality towards Naga political settlement while facing the NAGALAND POST (daily news paper) interview on 14th and published on July 2016. Quote “THESE ARE ISSUE OF SENTIMENTS. THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA RESPECTS THE SENTIMENTS. HOWEVER THESE CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED WITHIN THE REALM OF THE POSSOBLE.” Here lies the real fight for Naga political solution. Whether like it or not Nagas must realize the truth and accept the fact that our struggle is a unique history or only it is a sentimental issue. The sentiments of Nagas might be formed longtime before and cannot digest the fact by way of taking shelter under the ambit of Naga unique history and distinctive identity. Where is the distinctive identity of Nagas right now and to what extent Naga unique history is prevalent in Naga soil? Nagas must realize the following facts in due course of time for greater NAGALIM.
The degradation of qualitative life Nagas is under serious consideration is the right key to find out the Naga uniqueness. The Nagas wanted to dig-out the most influential factor that dragged the Naga society into chaotic and confusion society right now. Lack of confidence, distrust to each other and less honesty are the main drawbacks of Nagas for the political settlement of Nagas with the GOI. The words modernization, fashionable trends of advanced society and the perverted materialistic view of Christianity in Nagaland etc are also contributed a lot in Naga unique history. Tough competition of day to day life in Naga society for honor, fame and maintenance of living standard in the higher hierarchy of society are too much and society from classless and egalitarian society is at the verge of collapse. Therefore the unique history of Nagas is also rather shame to claim its existence. The whole set of society, not only corrupted Government but also the corrupt system even among the individual family trying for betterment of life amongst the parent and children competition is also too much to control in course of claiming the Naga unique history. The blame games all over the population are too much and no one is bothered to find out a solution or meeting point. The general level of Naga society within and outside Nagaland has been articulating the ideas and suggestions but the upper strata of the society did not take on it and Naga intellectual and educated level of society is in no where put their consensus opinion on the issues for a better Naga society with firmness.
The sentiments of Naga people are not same and it differs from one tribe to another. Because of this reason the historical facts as claimed by Nagas as uniqueness and distinctive identity proof to be a fatal exercise, Even then some genuine historical facts and figures for the common interest of Naga society are still traceable if the GOI accepted as a history.
1. The Naga peace council (NPC) under some visionary leaders of Nagaland had a talk with the GOI and attained the statehood in the year 1962. From there the territorial integrity of Nagas which were disintegrated long before was further curved out. While debating in the parliament the great the then prime minister of India Jawahar Lal Nerhu categorically mentioned the truth to embrace Nagas into the arena of Indian democratic country by saying INDIA CAN LEARN A LOT FROM NAGAS. Though the territory of Nagaland is not worth to recognize as state, the parliament of great India country passed the bill and interim body of legislative members were selected in tribe wise and governed the state for a short period. Then election of the legislative assembly was conducted, inspite of overwhelming majority of Nagas opposed the election. But the election was somehow conducted and the verdict of the public mandate was exercised in running the state affairs. Initially the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND vehemently against the state government of Nagaland and many great leaders lost their life during the struggle, the beginning of Nagaland statehood was not so sweet to digest till today by population of Nagas as a whole.
2. During the British rule in India the Nagas and its territories were put under EXCLUDED AREA and labeled as North East Frontal Agency (NEFA). Even after declaration of Independent India the Nagas were administered in the Assam state and slashed under the ministry of external affairs GOI and dealt with the Nagas (Mongoloid race) as a distinct ethnic group under the vast Hindu belt nation of India. For many years after Nagaland statehood the GOI dealt with the Nagas under ministry of external affairs. Now the state of Nagaland is fully merged under the union territory of great nation India, but the history cannot remove.
3. Naga Historical records revealed for several occasions that the inhabited and contagious land and its people would be put under the same and one administrative umbrella. But these are the appeasement theory of the British India and GOI. To substantiate these points the Nagas can cite the documents of Simon commission report, 9th points Agreement, 16th points agreement, and the treacherous Shillong Accord signed by no recognized organization but in the name of Naga underground movement. It was undue influenced and duress accord signed by some FGN officials not taken NNC or FGN. All these agreements and accord are only the paper-tigers having no teeth to bite and practice in Naga inhabited and contagious land. All these become paper documents and no one bothered for its implementations. These documents really obstructed the human development and its resources in Naga soil. Nagas don’t want paper tiger historical documents for appeasement purpose only. Nagas want to have a well recognition of each other and work together based on equality and on the universal truth. Beyond that nothing is possible for a social living on equal footing as there is no class system as yet in the territory of Nagas.
4. It is not political dogma for Nagas having a plebiscite on 16th may 1951 but it is a historical fact and the GOI cannot denied that occurrence in Naga history. Freedom is the Naga birth right and it is universally recognized by the human right organizations. Domination and imposition are against the will of Naga people. Till now the Naga society exercised freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Only in some areas the Nagas and its territories were tactfully annexed and occupied by various GOVERNMENTS WHO WERE DEAR AND NEAR TO NAGAS. Without the consent of Nagas the Naga territory between Brahmaputra river and the Chindwin Arravali river was torn into two parts and ruled by GOI and MYAMMAR Government, This water-tide division of boundaries has sharply divided the Naga social link with each other for more than 70 years. Now the Nagas with little intellectual knowledge paved a link in social organizations. Disintegrating the people of Nagas and its territory by the GOI never ever recognized the unique history of Nagas. Nagas did not ask for another plebiscite as proposed by Jammu & Kashmir, which is out-rightly rejected by the ministry of external affairs. Nagas did not invite another big country to interfere in fighting for Naga rights as the state of Jammu & Kashmir was favored by the Pakistan country. The people of Scotland conducted a referendum for or against sovereign Scotland which the British Govt. allowed and accepted the public verdicts. In honor of the public verdict the Great British Prime minister Mr. Cameron step down and the British nation withdrew its membership from European Union. Whereas the Nagas still have a hope for a final political settlement with GOI for a better change of social life.
5. The shared-sovereign is a new concept and its draws the attention of all intellectual persons within and outside Nagaland. At times the sovereignty is interpreted in the term of economic sovereignty, educational sovereignty and political sovereignty. All these are very meaningful and have deep meaning in the context of a small ethnic race Nagas under the unity in diversity country of Great India. What Nagas alone can do in the international level without the back-up of largest democratic country India. The global village era of this universe needs wider and broader perspective in all approaches. If the GOI recognized unique history of Nagas and valued the cultural, traditional and customary laws of the land it is no harm to place Nagas in any position. Therefore the shared-sovereign has a meaning to the Naga public.
On the other bright side of the past Naga past history way back to 20th century, many many hard hurdles of life had been come across in each and every republic independent village. Life of barbarism, naked and head hunting period of Naga life were dramatically changed into a civilized Naga life. It had been possible through various interventions and social mingled with the advanced society like India. Through the emergence of Nagaland statehood under the union of India Nagas enjoyed enormous schemes and facilities as one of the constituent entity. It was possible only through several visionary leaders who dragged Nagas to this stage of life. Nagas at times should give our sincere gratitude to the GOI for accommodating Nagas as an integral part of Great India. In reciprocation to the Nagas gratitude GOI must also realize the mistakes committed towards NAGAS as their subject. Time has changed with the change of Naga life. But Nagas as an ethnic race cannot by-pass the unique history for future survival based on ancestral values and social harmony. The omnipotent God of all creations must have a purpose for Nagas to bury our differences and fight against the small barriers and narrow mindedness to go for and bigger and higher status in one voice with our full strength to achieve our destiny. The Nagas owed to the great nation India for continuously supplying our basic needs. The Nagas have been eaten the essential salt of India for our survival. Beyond that Nagas have less rights to argue with the great nation India. Still Nagas live in pathetic condition of life. Unless natural resources are explored there is no scope to catch up other advanced society in the world. Nagas only fight for our unique historical rights of classless society.
