The 19th April 2012 incident in which the Assam Rifle Jawans with full arms and ammunition have gone to the extent of provoking the NSCN at the very entrance of the NSCN Hqs. (Hebron) which is not only a blatant breach of Ceasefire ground rule but it is a clear indication of the baleful intent of the Government of India. A situation like this, one cannot help but to look back at the past experience of the Indo-Naga political impasse with the government of India. The past half a century of violent conflict between the Indian military forces and the Naga resistance movement have outlaid more than 2.5 lacs of lives of the Nagas, immense wealth and resources have been destroyed and many precious years wasted, besides, rampant and perpetual human rights violation in the Naga areas.
With all its might and modern diplomacy, the GOI have tried to suppress the Naga political movement. Only after a decades of no win situation of the Indo-Naga conflict, a democratic space have been created ensuing a ceasefire between the GOI and NSCN-IM in 1997 which is the direct outcome of the initiatives of the Civil Societies of the Nagas as well as the Indians. However, in spite of the Ceasefire and political process, the GOI plain tactics of delaying the political process stretching over a period of 15 years is evidently marked by systematic process of consolidating its war machineries in all Naga areas to demoralize the Naga political aspiration.
That during the 15 years of Cease fire between the GOI and the NSCN-IM, much against the wishes and desire of the Naga people for an amicable solution, we are witnessing a daunting situation in the entire Naga Homeland with more military camps coming up in the nature of township, more public places been occupied in the name of security, more checkpoints have been installed in all the strategic places.
When the Naga armies are being pushed to their designated camps as part of the ceasefire ground rule agreements, it is a matter of serious concern that whether the same Ceasefire Agreement sanctions militarization of the Naga areas by the Indian security forces in this manner.
Frisking and harassment meted out by the security forces is increasing more as if ceasefire has licensed the security forces to do public policing even in the core of civilian areas and to act above the administration as it happening in many cases.
As a democratic giant nation, it would be befitting for the GOI to spell out clearly, if the ceasefire is just a scheme to further weaken the Naga movement or is it at the hands of the Indian Security Forces.
By any international standard, it is understood that ceasefire is done at equal terms with mutual agreement and terms. Lame excuses can only bring more distrust and there is also a danger of extirpating the hard earned ceasefire and peace process at the present given situation.
Hence, it would be worthwhile that a third neutral party be involved not only in the Indo-Naga political dialogue but to monitor the ceasefire ground rule in all the Naga areas, if a genuine solution has to come.
Having accepted the Indo-Naga issue as political in nature, needing a genuine political decision considering the unique history and political situation; under the purview of the present peace process while political negotiation is underway, the Concerned Senior Citizens’ Forum of Mokokchung strongly condemn the unqualified action meted out by the Indian Security Forces during the CF period.
We the Concrned Senior Citizens’ Forum of Mokokchung with great concern observe that the negative consequences of the present political dialogue and breaking the hard earned present Indo-Naga CF for the second time will bring serious political disaster creating deeper mistrust between the two entities. We therefore, sincerely appeal to both the parties to honor the Cease-Fire Agreement Ground Rules and take the wise political decision at the earliest.
Sd/- Sd/-
Bendangangshi B. Namo
Member, Member,
CSCF Mkg CSCF Mkg
