Achan Ramsan
As the current talk is for the birth of Nagalim and under process, a comparison drawn between India and Nagalim as put into two different contexts with different approach, agreement, arrangement and perception. No concrete measure of plan, policy and mapping of this issue is transparent, but at best, the Naga solution is matter of one’s perception and of one’s conjecture by nature.
In the case of India’s independence, plans of the British to quit India was already made, made-ready and the mantle of India’s self-rule was to pass on into the leaderships of MK Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Not so with the Nagas, because it is not clear if India will pass on the leadership issue on to the NSCN(IM), or others like the NSCN(K),FGN or others, or all of them. India is keeping open the ‘faction option’ as the key factor in dictating the course of history and the direction that the Naga destiny is headed which is passing virtually thought at the hands of India – the upper hand. The dice is already in the hands of India to make or mar the protracted talk into success or failure.
The Crux: Guiding princle for India’s decision
Thus, the consciousness of the Nagas to their identity and their perception of self-determination, their ability to assert the consciousness of their identity into concrete form will be the guiding principle and ultimate force in deciding the final outcome of the talk. Within the last ten years of talks enough gathering of intelligence and feedback done to teach the NSCN(IM)what the pulse of the people are for India to take the decision in a manner in strong support of their assessment that need never be ignored.
The centre will concede as much as that directly proportionate to the expression and assertion of the whole Naga populace. Because, they know too well that the ‘powerhouse’ of all or any movement is the people themselves. All movement begins and ends with the people. The center is no fool not to lay this final marking as the final covert foundation and mother of all solution. Talk with any organization is just following the protocol, of doing things right but in a roundabout manner in actually accessing and assessing the organization concerned as well as the mood and pulse of the people: their weakness and strength.
The Role of IB
Here the role of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) comes in the picture as playing a crucial role in gathering data, information and vital feedbacks in formulating their schemes and policy as proposal to the party in parley of the issue for adoption of the best option. Moreover, going by the present prevailing situation, the options are too many and the prospect in favor of the Nagas not too bright, given the fractional rifts.
The present prevailing confusion and chaos and its potentiality to gain more currency in the Naga society is the natural work of the IB, spreading its tentacles. Their work become much more complex, invisible and invincible with vast array of destructive elements of big and vast galaxies of the stature of organizational and governmental level ready for any kind of collusion in destroying the Nagas aspiration.
Manipur government is more than ready to play the major role and add to this the factor of the Meitei undergrounds: all working together in collusion to subvert the Naga issue and polity as their own priority agenda to crush the Naga movement to distortion and destruction.
In this triangular nexus, the disunity within the Naga underground groups became fertile ground for fertile imagination to hijack the Naga cause and issue into the hand of the enemies as easy ploy to indoctrinate and misguide them and let them dance to the tune they want. I fear some factions are already falling prey into such trap.
Thus, the Nagas have to reckon with at least three elements inimical to the interest of the Nagas: the IB, Manipur government, the Meitei insurgent groups along with some Naga undergrounds in the same league. Thus, any seed of confusion, mistrust, misrepresentation are some of the powerful tools that can potentially turn the tide into tidal waves bound for destruction. The Khaplang coup is a case in point.
If the Nagas are not wary of the past mistakes, and equip themselves to counter such development for the kind of arsenals arrayed against the aspiration of the Nagas, some ominous portent awaits. From actual vantage of viewpoint the odds seems insurmountable but on the other hand, the tide could easily be upturned if the Nagas are united and prepared. However, the sad state of affairs is their complacency. The path ridden with riddles and the question is if the Nagas are ready to digest the magnitude of such alien attack from all sides. The fact is, the Nagas without asserting their own aspiration are looking at their leaders to deliver the goods and there’s no critical preparedness when in reality they are passing through the most critical juncture and phase to claim for their own pound of flesh which never is visible at all as the centre perceived. That makes the talk as almost non-people participatory that is posing the most serious threat.
Changing Facet of Warfare
The mileage the NSCN (IM) has gained in exposing and espousing the Naga cause by successfully lobbying the international arena and the eventual mounting of international pressure against India on the Naga cause, stirred the conscience of India. Or rather rattled India or embarrassed them in the international platforms that plodded them to do something much against their will and wishes. Thus, some course of action has to follow as a protocol
Therefore, as an outcome and eventual development, talks and decisions become inevitable as thrust upon India in order to enable them to stand tall in the circuit of international platform without the accusing fingers of the Naga issue stumbling their way.
Where once, the Nagas were asserting their rightful heir and place in history with pure and innocent approach without taking the wisdom of technical and tactical aspects, now aware of such folly and futility, they have come a long way and become wiser and adopted the more sophisticated approach of technicality of legitimacy. Thus, through the entrance door of technical wisdom of legitimacy, the Nags cause, they have been pushing their agenda through the right and proper channel into the corridor of power and pressure required from other countries. Thus, it became an unavoidable and inevitable round for India’s response. This because, Nagas were able to secure the coin of international legitimacy through trials and errors method.
Thus, the war nature changed from the bush war to the negotiating table through the ceasefire between the government of India and the NSCN (IM) entering into a dialogue with the latter representing the Nagas. This paradigm shift has made the Nagas to fight the war in the same parlance, but not so well equipped. Because the Nagas are lagging behind in the nature of such warfare with their lack of expertise, because not enough efforts has been invested in that direction to acquire the required sophistication of such knowledge and skill in the talks that has lasted for about ten years. On the other hand, there was not much room given the Nagas intelligentsia or the intellectuals to participate actively in formulating some concrete course in the international policy of such political nature. If there had been the wisdom and will to fight the war in the same wavelength and technique, then 10 years could have been enough time as the springing board to expose and train some elite groups to acquire enough expertise to give Indian no room to roam around.
I think, it is high time for the Nagas to establish a secretariat with different section of compartments and departments with each section dealing with specific field, work or program under the leadership and setup of the party in parley. Those in the secretariat should or may consist of people from among the Naga general populace handpicked for this purpose with their aptitude and competency for the kind of work as the criteria. A ‘think tank’ also needed to be set up with brainstorming session every now and then for the progress, process and speed of the work, plan and talk. This will save lots of troubles ad further augment the work.
Preparedness is half the work done. The Nagas should be prepared of the heavy responsibility now and ahead if at all forming of a government is ever contemplated. To form a government, the implication of the heavy scale and magnitude of preparation and preparedness must begin now if not much before. Because it is a process and if the process is not begun now, then risks are heavy and progress is at best questioned, leave alone progressive thought, work and wisdom to take shape and be given room for actual translation into reality by turning the current situation into a more suitable and sustainable one with the ethos of the Nagas. Otherwise, the same government with the same trend as with India’s independence is to be only expected. We have learnt from history of India’s unprepared ness to handle its own independence, thus not much change from the British government, excepting some modification here and there.
The Faction Option
In line with the above strategy, Nagas must always remember that India has craftily kept open the factor of faction open. The talk at present is officially with the NSCN (IM) while the NSCN (K) is kept as a neutralizing factor, faction and option. India’s line of thought is that they are keeping the two in their armory to checkmate one another. Thus, reducing the potency of both the factions as mere pawns in their power game with two solutions and two options in their hand. At any point of time, the talks could be switched from one faction to another. That much power India wields as shields to turn the tide and the current talk into turmoil and total anarchy. Yes, that much strength and nothing less. What kind of scheme and what this scenario amounts to is for everyone to imagine.
On the other hand, one faction could be induced to wreak havoc on the movement by tacit support and approval through covert or overt means of the IB as their tentacles spreads to suit Delhi’s interest in their unwillingness to take the talk to it end. Going by the present standard, Nags are passing through unprecedented phase of deep undercurrent of division within the ranks and files of their organizational set up as spawned by the non-committal attitude of the Indian government. If talks with the NSCN (IM) does not fit their scheme of things, one can only guess the adventurism of India already at work in fomenting troubles by the ‘faction option’, by promising talks with the outfit that can outdo the present party in parley. One wonders if the wind of changes is blowing that way. May caution prevail, this is not a game, at the same time let the Naga people themselves do their ‘homework’ as each and everyone has his and her role to play in asserting themselves for an end to the protracted talk into an honorable solution that is for the better and building of their future.
