Witoubou Newmai
Without considering certain principles, the so called peace brought about is devoid of justice. It can be altogether dismissed as unmoored peace. This, regretfully, is the prevailing situation of the southern Naga people today.
To elucidate, the much hyped ‘bridging the hill-valley divide’ under the Biren Singh government merits for the dismissal as rhetoric in its complete splendour. The present Manipur government, despite its failure to elicit a credible ground towards genuinely addressing the various issues confronting the people, has been tom-toming the ‘the hill-valley divide bridging’.
The ongoing series of responses from the Naga organisations to the recent Biren Singh’s interview to The Hindustan Times are some good revelations enough that the Naga people cannot exchange their rights for mere welfare schemes, no matter how attractive or extensive.
The Manipur Chief Minister reportedly told the national daily that he would “take ‘extreme’ steps if Naga deal hurts Manipur’s interests.”
In response to the interview, the All Naga Student Association, Manipur (ANSAM) had stated that the "opposition to the aspirations of the Naga people’s right to self-determination time and again points out the fundamental difference within the people of Manipur in understanding land, people and identity."
The Naga student body aptly asserted that, “Land, for the Nagas, belongs to the people and not the state….we derive our identity and culture from the land and not the state…we honour our land by protecting it and thus, have been doggedly defending it with our lives for generations."
Also responding to the Chief Minister’s comment the Chandel Naga People’s Organisation (CNPO) termed it as “his undignified and chauvinistic attitude of political misrepresentation.”
The Naga People’s Front, Manipur State Unit (NPF-MSU), the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Naga Hoho have also responded succinctly to the comment of Biren Singh. More Naga organizations from the south are expected to respond to the Manipur Chief Minister’s recent interview to the national daily.
This is to mean that Biren Singh’s comment has attracted the Naga’s unanimous denunciation. It also amply illustrates the adverse consequences of trying to sedate a situation sans justice.
Biren Singh or the Manipur government needs to grow bold by discarding the use of adhocism to conceal reality.
We agree that there is no other pleasure for politicians than to speak of what their voters want to hear, but it is also prudent to consider the fact that most problems would not have been resolved without the courage to see the reality.
