A news item carried yesterday in Imphal Times regarding the signing of the peace agreement between the NSCN-IM and the GOI has received several questions regarding the credibility of the news item. Some question about the source some call it “a fake news” and some even said that nothing such happened.
Well if one recalled, a newspaper based in Guwahati called “Seven Sisters’ Post” had published a news story saying that the Government of India may likely conclude the talk by granting a “Supra State” for the NSCN-IM. The report was based on leaked document at which after receiving criticism and opposition to such an agreement the Indian authority had finally denied of any such arrangement.
Later, in 2015 June 15, Imphal Times produce a news story about the NSCN-IM putting up 8 point demand for solution of the Vex Naga Issue. The eight point demand by the NSCN-IM was published in this newspaper on that edition of 2015. As per Imphal Times report the 8 points were the preambles of the frame work agreement. The report too was flatly denied by the then interlocutor of the peace talk RN Ravi while talking to press.
Imphal Times again published news story about NSCN-IM preparing 50 points demands to ink with the GOI pluse 18 more points that has to be implemented. All those report are denied later. Interestingly, no proper clarification or refusal of the news report came from the NSCN-IM authority but from the Indian authority.
Everyone knows the there should be some points of agreement if the vex Naga issue is settled and nobody are let known about the content of the agreement. People also now know that the government is working out to conclude the peace talk.
Accord, framework, unique history, interlocutor, sovereignty, contiguous, collective leadership- terms the people of the state, and more of those of other states in the North Eastern part of the country have been trying to make head or tail of for too long.
The so called Naga accord, entered on August 3 of 2015 again after 44 years when, on November 11, 1975, then Nagaland Governor L P Singh signed
what came to be known as the “Shillong Accord” with six representatives of the Naga rebels in the capital of Meghalaya. Any rationally thinking individual would naturally start questioning what four decades of talking and dialogues have done to change the previous state of affairs or ‘status quo ante’. It is also incomprehensible, and remains to be seen, as to how the government of India would step outside the constitution of the country to negotiate terms with the NSCN-IM rebels as per their demands. This clearly indicates that the ‘collective leadership’ of the NSCN-IM had made the representatives of the Indian government, either through coercion or conviction, to recognise ‘Nagas’ as a separate entity parallel to the ‘Indian’ entity. It would prove rather unfortunate and myopic, not to mention catastrophic, if the Government of India or its Interlocutor who is by definition a person who takes part in formal discussion of conversation, sometimes as a go-between, decides to wrap up the protracted issue without giving due consideration to the concerns of those whose rights and realms stand to be violated. Further, it would be interesting to sit back and watch how the Indian government would concede to granting ‘sovereignty’ to one of its subject states. Perhaps it would prove to be a blessing in disguise for other groups waiting and watching in the wings- even if it would lead to the beginning of the disintegration of the erstwhile Indian republic.
Every part and member constituting the present Indian subcontinent has their own peculiar and diverse history. It would be plain narcissistic to claim a particular region or state’s history as ‘unique’ and nothing more- period. It is high time to take a cold hard look into the facts and accept the obvious reality.
The cloud of secrecy engulfing the contents of the peace accord needs to blown away and the details be revealed before things take a nasty and unfortunate turn which will negate all efforts- if any were really made. To prevaricate on the issue will only prolong the suffering and insecurity of the people in the region. It would invariably lead to fomenting distrust and suspicion amongst the different communities coexisting in the region for centuries. It is time for the Government of India to come clean and put an end to the stalling game. It is also time for all of us to come together and make sincere effort to solve our problems instead of delegating it to a third party whose interests and understandings of our way of life is limited.
Or otherwise , media will depend on source which may sometimes denied by the authority.
Yesterday news report was base on the report appeared at certain sections of media houses based in North east India. Some even put down their report, but Imphal Times believes that the govt. of India may have signed the 8 point agreement as Imphal Times source had already revealed that there is no other solution than accepting the proposal of the NSCN-IM if a solution has to be brought.
