….. and now the NSCN-IM has moved a step forward towards their destiny. The framework agreement has been signed recognizing the so called unique history of Naga compiled by the collective leadership of NSCN-IM. India government earnest effort to solve the problem of ‘the rebel group’, which they consider to be the mother of all insurgency movement in the state has compelled the Narendra Modi led NDA government to finally fulfill the demands of the rebel group which has been credited for killing nearly thousands of innocent people including women and child belonging to a particular community in early 90s. As long as the prize awarded do not hurt the interest of the Indian nation everything seem to be alright.
After engaging in several rounds of talk for over a decade the Indian Government had finally succeeded to divert the conflict between the country and the NSCN-IM to a conflict between the state governments of each North East Indian state with the rebel group. Now the ball has been successfully thrown to the court of Chief Ministers of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The declaration of the cease fire with the NSCN-IM on July 25, 1997 at the floor of Lok Sabha by the then Prime Minister of India, late Inder Kumar Gujaral had already sparked tension among the various communities of the North East India, compelling some of the civil society organizations of the state to take up awareness campaign about the ‘would be’ affects of the cease fire agreement. Four years later, after the declaration of the ceasefire, the extension of the cease fire ‘without territorial limits’ on June 14, 2001, at Bangkok, which was later popularly known as ‘Bangkok declaration’, the simmering tension of the various communities of the state reached to catastrophe. Manipur was nearly turn to ash with almost 60 percent of the people of Imphal coming out to the street of Imphal and pouring their anger to the government set up of the state. Almost all offices of political parties, official quarters of MLAs, Ministers etc were set ablaze by the angry mob. Even the temple of democracy – the assembly secretariat was not spared. It was during this famous uprising in the history of Manipur that a complete change to the peoples’ mandate during the general assembly election was brought.
Later, the political consciousness of the people had elected some of the persons whom the people believed that they would protect the people and the land of this erstwhile kingdom.
Perhaps, it was this strong ‘political will’ to safeguard the territorial integrity of this state that Okram Ibobi Singh was re-elected as the chief minister of Manipur for the three consecutive terms.
Now, the final scene is yet to arrive. The details of the framework signed between the government of India and the NSCN-IM will be let known to the people soon.
Manipur once more burnt or not now remain in the contents of the so called framework as well as to the wisdom of Okram Ibobi. Even though it was not let known to the public the Narendra Modi government has agreed to some proposal of the rebel group at which he did not want the nation to know about it. But there is still hopes, the people still had firm believe that Okram Ibobi will have the same spirit as he had once proved to the people of the state. Or else people will blame not only him but his entire family.
