The signing of a ceasefire agreement between the two NSCN groups to be made operative in Sumi inhabited areas should be welcomed as it is the desire of the overwhelming majority of people that peace be maintained among the Naga national groups. The bold initiative of people in Zunheboto district under the aegis of the Sumi Hoho must therefore be lauded and there is no reason why the suitability of similar peace models should not be taken up by people in other regions if a threat to peaceful coexistence arises thereof. At a time when there is increasing evidence of factional clashes and an overt turf war spreading, merely relying on the ceasefire ground rules and its mechanism is insufficient. And given that the government of India appears to be insincere to review the ground rules, the public will have to wake up to the divisive ploy being played out by inimical forces taking advantage of the existence of warring Naga factions. The complete silence on the part of the Government of India has now put serious doubts in the minds of people on whether there is an altogether sinister design to derail the peace and reconciliation process being addressed on various fronts. The ceasefire agreement signed on June 14 at Zunheboto therefore assumes enormous significance not only because it assures peace among the Nagas but strategically more vital is the counterweight to the age old tactic of divide and rule being applied to suppress the Naga people.
It is therefore advisable for people themselves to have ownership over the fragile situation. The recent instance of how the public in Zunheboto were able to mobilize under the platform of the Peace Monitoring Cell Zunheboto (PMCZ) and persuade both NSCN factions to agree to cessation of hostilities is extremely encouraging. Managing to bring the two warring groups for talks over one table is truly a remarkable achievement given that several of the much hyped initiatives undertaken earlier has not borne any significant results. It also goes to show that in order to broker peace, it is the simple things that count for much more. And for any meaningful outcome to emerge, it will be more worth the effort to stick to the basics and use some form of ingenuity into peace initiatives.
The State government and the civil society groups led by the Naga Hoho should now encourage and support the PMCZ type of micro level initiative centered on local people’s resources, skills, knowledge and their understanding of the situation rather than allowing the process to be stalled in bureaucratic red tape, power struggle and rigid political ideologies. Traditional peacemaking skills has to be fully explored in the context of the Naga reconciliation process. Peace Corps such as the PMCZ involving tribal hohos and grass root organizations must be supported to work in situations of conflict in their respective zones. If every tribal hoho can work on an individual case basis under the supervision of the Naga Hoho that way each community can contribute to the maintenance of several zone of peace and tranquility.
