Fratricidal killing amongst Nagas is self destructive
B Thohii Hiimai
Endless litany of woes is what the Nagas have been experiencing all through this in the journey of political struggle for rights. Price being paid is the lives of many falling to the smoky barrel of the gun, and excessive abuse of human rights perpetrated by the adversary in what is called ‘counter insurgency operation’ on the one side, and, on the other side, a self destroying fratricidal killing amongst Naga national workers and systemic targeting of innocent civilians. This violence, in common language, is a stark and total violation of human rights, dignity and value of life.
The entity power that the Nagas are struggling for political rights has, without doubt, incessantly applied repressive campaign, carried out through legislative and executive mechanism of administration, to suppress the Naga insurgence of nationalism since inception. In consequence, this has inflicted deep scar to the Nagas both physically and psychologically.
However, the undaunted spirit of nationalism persists despite tortuous ordeal gone through for the past more than half a century today. It is this ‘spirit’ that refuses to flicker out has taken the Naga political struggle to what is today, now engaged in peace process for lasting peace.
But what is today beginning to threaten this ‘spirit’ is the apparent hardening of mistrust and differences between the rival faction groups and hatred expressed in violence, characterized by internecine viciousness, which is neglecting the aspirations of the common Nagas. Naga factional conflict is, I think, based on personal differences between the leaders of rival groups that happen to be divided along the lines of group loyalty and the maintenance of group boundaries, so they are marked by higher levels of immutability than are many other forms of conflict. It is underpinned not by historical, political ideologies, religious and social/ethnic identities but by psychological element of obduracy of the mind in refusing to take the ‘common aspiration’ above personal incompatibility by the rival faction members.
Thus, intractability of the conflict is created by uncompromising, non-conciliatory and defensive attitude and idiosyncrasies obstinately uphold by the parties in the conflict. Very discouraging an element as this, casts a thick cloud of doubt on the prospect of a lasting peace in the future, and so, too, is inevitably impacting the population’s mental health. That the faction groups not being able to sail on a same boat of unified cause, despite propagation of same political goal for the Nagas, is a clear result of because of the battle of the mind.
Factional problem is at its most basic a struggle between the rival faction groups for hegemony, obduracy of the mind and refusal to open door for reconciliation process. This is the hardest problem the Nagas are confronted with today. If obduracy of the mind, as a result of illusion of the ‘truth’, is unreasonably active at play, it is bad, but this wrong can be reasoned out by enlightening about the ‘truth’ through democratic process of dialogue. On the contrary, if obduracy of the mind is unreasonably active at play despite knowing of the truth, it is the worst, most dangerous and most intractable kind of conflict that will persist.
In the first case, reconciliation is not too difficult a process to achieve provided that both are willing to accept the truth and, thus, show accommodation in dialogue for true reconciliation to begin. In the second case, however, reconciliation process is a difficult one to achieve, if not impossible, because here the ‘truth’ is deliberately suppressed by both parties for ulterior personal mileage, despite knowing of the truth. In this case human’s worst vice of pride and ego are the toughest problem to be reconciled with in a conflict resolution. The on-going factional conflict amongst Naga rival faction groups is the case of persistent obduracy of the mind.
Recent spurt of infighting and killing of each other by rival groups is a witness of that, and if any reading can be read out of this vicious cycle of killing, it is a clear message on the wall that avenue for reconciliation is not as prospective as wish for by common Nagas. Portent of this violence is only doom: more death lurks with its fatal scythe. No Naga would wish this to continue. Therefore, reconciliation, now seemingly running elusive, has to be sought and worked for by the Nagas.
For cessation of violence and to allow reconciliation process to begin, a call for ceasefire from the conflicting faction groups is imperative. It is a must for peace sake. In the period of ceasefire, a mechanism of ‘peace keeping’ by setting up ‘peace monitoring cell’ for peace enforcement is a must for creating a conducive atmosphere for dialogue. Involvement of the civil society organizations in peace keeping is a must, as we cannot expect external force to be the third party. Sincerity of both conflicting parties and neutrality of the third party – civil society – have to be maintained so as not to create suspicion from any side. Suspicion can and often leads to intense localized fighting. While maintaining relative peace at this period, a mechanism of ‘peace building’ by the civil society in the peace process is very important. Here the force of the people plays a crucial role in ‘peace building’ so as to prevent collapsing of ceasefire.
In the process of ‘peace building’ two elements are crucial: Reconstruction and Reconciliation. Reconstruction means the physical aspects of rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure. This is an easier process to achieve as seem in many cases of ruined nations after war bouncing back on foot again in the physical aspect. Reconciliation, a second element is a psychological aspect which requires participation and involvement of both parties and civil society in willing to accept peace by understanding each other points of view for lasting peace. This being a psychological element, it is a difficult process to achieve, but it has to be worked for, despite difficulties, for peace.
Nagas’ problem in the ‘peace building’ is not on element of ‘reconstruction’ as there is no full scale war that has left destroyed infrastructure, but it is more with psychological element of ‘Reconciliation’ that is proving to be very difficult to achieve. Naga civil society has tried, during ceasefire period between the rival groups, to bring reconciliation between rival faction groups, estranged by differences at the seemingly personal level of faction leaders, but unfortunately it failed to achieve desired result. So, why reconciliation is a process too difficult to achieve amongst national workers is a crucial question that calls for serious rethinking and review by the Naga leaders today and, at the same time, a challenge to continue working for it for lasting peace.
It is utopic to hope that leaders, everywhere, will not have differences in approach and view on an issue even though the goal is one and the same. What is important is the belief in the democratic principle of willing to listen to each other’s points of view and resolve the standing differences. This is a universal truth. Instances of many struggling nations, now freed, showed that during struggling period there were differences amongst national workers but they, at the same time, adhered to the democratic principle in resolving differences for common good. This is apparently wanting amongst Nagas.
At this crucial moment when the civil society organizations are involved in the peace process as never was in the past, hoping for honorable solution to Indo-Naga political problem to put sufferings and pains behind and march forward in peace and progress, it is very important for rival faction groups to open their hearts for true reconciliation. Refusal to do so would mean ignoring the aspiration of common Nagas who make up the backbone of the Naga society.
The issue is real and it needs to be resolved through the concerted efforts of all Nagas. Letting the issue to rest with blames and counter-blames that one group or another is hand-in-glove working with external anti-Naga elements alone without trying to extinguish the flame of internal differences burning within by the Nagas themselves would be a self-delusion.
In the current situation we cannot but ask apprehensive questions, what prospect of peace lies beyond any possible solution to Indo-Naga political problem without resolving ‘intra conflict’ now reigning. It is for the Nagas to choose their own destiny: real peace or elusive peace with persistent conflict. A wrong move made today, as a result of obduracy of the mind, would be too late to rue tomorrow, as the wise saying goes “a missed opportunity is a missed opportunity”. So obduracy of the mind has to be dismantled and reconciliation process must begin.
