Imkong Walling
October 2019 was a period in time to (un)remember. As one would recall, a combination of events uncannily came together giving rise to an atmosphere of trepidation with the protracted Indo-Naga political dialogue apparently in troubled waters.
The Nagas of north-eastern India and northern Myanmar, and those in line to be affected have been no strangers to announcements— of great expectations, predicting an amicable conclusion — which have not failed to fall flat like hard sold movies going dud.
In retrospect, what was unsettling about that (un)fateful October was the way it played out.
The stage was somewhat set, some 2 months prior in mid-August, when a newly appointed Governor of Nagaland, RN Ravi made a comment, at his civic reception in Kohima, about the PM expressing “the need to conclude the peace process within a three-month time” before his appointment as Governor in July (The Morung Express, August 16, 2019).
How that comment went on to take the shape of a deadline, happily lapped up by news agencies, remains a question to be answered.
Earlier, in July, following the official announcement of RN Ravi as Nagaland Governor, the NSCN (IM) had communicated to the Prime Minister’s Office, expressing reluctance to the prospect of Ravi playing the dual role of Interlocutor-cum-Governor.
It was clear the negotiating parties were on different wavelengths as far as the question of a separate flag and constitution was concerned, while unhappy with each other’s stand on the interpretation of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement.
And things, obvious and odd as they were, seemed to bizarrely coincide, while no genuine effort was made to dispel the October 31 mirage, as tension mounted over an imagined breakdown of the talks.
The frequent flight of IAF fighter jets over the skies of Dimapur and subsequent Defence war drill in the north-east region, moving of army troops to Arunachal Pradesh, the political events in the then state of Jammu & Kashmir in August, all combined to give rise to a general air of nervousness; and not to forget the unsubstantiated news reports in between.
It served as the right ingredients to set the rumour mills rolling, churning out imaginary reports about amassing of army troops, landing of tank units and even as ludicrous an idea as an air raid.
Further, the ‘disclosure’ of the contents of the highly guarded FA by the NSCN (IM) in September, followed by the Interlocutor in October further gave an illusion of things coming to a final stage, either amicable or bad.
Even the Nagaland Police went on alert, notifying the recall of its personnel on leave and cancelling all leaves, while its annual sports meet was deferred.
The effect was felt in Manipur, and it was obvious why.
Then the supposed deadline came and went. Nothing happened. It was business or rather talks as usual and the long break.
It’s October 2020 and things are stuck on the same bone of contention.
The NSCN (IM) leadership is camping in Delhi and holding ‘informal’ talks with IB officials, still to have a seating with the Interlocutor. By all accounts, the interlocutor and the NSCN (IM) are perceptibly not on good terms.
How to steady a ship with a sailing crew not on talking terms or it demands a mediator for the mediator and vice versa?
The writer is a Principal Correspondent at The Morung Express. Comments can be sent to imkongwalls@gmail.com
