Dr Asangba Tzudir
Reconciliation First then Solution
Building upon ‘rhetoric’ the Union Minister of State for Home has added another rhetorical block to the Naga political issue saying that the centre will come up with “tangible solution” to the protracted Naga political problem within the ambit of the “Framework Agreement” during the tenure of the Modi government and added that “sovereignty and some other serious issues” were dropped from the NSCN (IM)’s charter of demands.
Within the rhetoric, even as a Naga political solution is ‘processed’ towards a finality, a lasting political solution that may find acceptance in the eye of every Naga will not come unless there is Naga reconciliation first. That at the core of solving the Naga political issue lies the need for Naga reconciliation.
Reconciliation in the Naga political context seems to have become a threatening concept especially with those in power wanting to continue the current status quo. Within this challenging terrain the resurgence of FNR took place through the celebration of Naga Day calling upon all Nagas to come as one without borders.
Further ahead, as a prelude to FNR’s upcoming event “Walking the Naga Day” it has called for a reconnect with the ‘Naga Concordant’ which was signed on August 16, 2011 and which resolved to work towards the formation of one Naga National Government. But its non-implementation has also resulted in the present Naga political crisis. In this strain, paving the way for a ‘renewed’ process of reconciliation, the FNR has urged the Naga leaders and the Naga public to reconnect and tap into the vast potentials offered in the Naga concordant. This is one of the missing linkages in the process of Naga reconciliation.
Today, reconciliation stands at a limit, a threshold between the silence or absence of a collective voice of the Naga people, and the divisions among the Naga Political groups on various political tones. At the heart of the limit lies the need for a trusted and communicative dialogue with all the stakeholders on board.
Thus, in reconnecting with the ‘Naga Concordant’, there is a need for reworking the process of reconciliation. And therefore, the upcoming event organized by FNR under the banner of ‘Walking the Naga Day’ can be seen as an opportune event for all Nagas to come and ‘reason together.’
Besides being seemingly threatening, contextually, reconciliation is also a difficult concept. But it is all about identifying and reconnecting with the ‘shared values of belongingness’, values that binds and unites and this requires revisiting history. Further, in ‘reasoning together’, which is the most critical component; it calls upon exploring the idea of forgiveness. It cannot simply rest on the premise of forgive and forget. Forgiveness especially in the Naga political context requires a process of healing. It is something which cannot be forced upon and it is a time taking process. But rest assured in the fact that time is the best healer. These are certain parameters on which reconnecting with the ‘Naga Concordant’ rests. It was not only a subject of criticism from various quarters including the general public but was not also given a fair trial but today a reconnection is crucial to Naga reconciliation.
While it may seem that the Naga Political solution is at a threshold, reconciliation which is a pre-requisite and lie at the core of the Naga political issue requires serious deliberation and it calls for all Nagas, the various Naga organizations and the political groups to come together and ‘reason together’ towards breaking the various forms of borders and reconcile as one.
It is time to lent support through constructive ideas towards reshaping, empowering and strengthening the process of Naga reconciliation.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir writes a weekly guest editorial for
The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
