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| AUGUST 2015 NAGA PEACE ACCORD | | | Col J P Singh, Retd | 8/18/2015 11:50:54 PM |
| In a significant development, India signed a his toric Naga peace deal with northeast-based group National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah.
Naga peace deal #Nagaland #Nagaland peacal #Narendra Modi 3rd of August 2015 will go down as a golden day in the history of India because 67 years after 'Naga National Council' had declared Nagaland as an independent sovereign state, a day prior to the Indian independence, its current leadership has abandoned this demand and come to an understanding with the govt of India and signed a historic 'Naga Peace Accord'.
This has come 40 years after another similar treaty inked between the two, in Shillong, in 1975 failed to establish peace and led to more violence and fracturing of Naga rebel movement. The accord has been signed between top leadership of National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak-Muivah, NSCN (IM), with the govt of India. It was a successful culmination of a sustained six decades long dialogue (longest ever spell of negotiations) on Naga political issues between interlocutors of the govt and leaders of NSCN (IM). 'Naga Peace Accord' was inked between R N Ravi, govt interlocutor for peace alks, on behalf of the govt of India and Isak Chishi Swu, Chairman and T Muivah, General Secretary on behalf of NSCN. The entire top leadership of the NSCN (IM) and all members of the 'collective leadership' have fully endorsed the agreement and were present during the ceremony , except Isak, the Chairman, who is sick and admitted in ICU in a Delhi hospital. The accord was signed in the presence of Premier Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. This agreement will pave the way to end the oldest and bloodiest insurgency in the country. It will restore peace and pave the way for development and prosperity in the North-East and easy access to far East. It will advance a life of dignity, opportunity and equity to the Naga people, based on their genius and uniqueness of culture & traditions and peace to the nation. Story of Naga secessionism is very long and painful. Lesser said the better. It must have been an arduous and long march to peace accord. Those who worked long and hard to achieve this path-breaking truce need to be rewarded. A cursory glance in the past will facilitate understanding the much trumpeted event of the day.
The story goes back to the British era when they annexed Assam in 1826 and Naga Hills in 1881. In 1929, Naga Club, representing Nagas told Simon Commission to leave them alone to determine their lives after independence as they had been doing since centuries. This is seen as 1st sign of Naga resistance.
In 1947, they formed 'Naga National Council' (NNC) under A Z Phizo and declared Nagaland as independent state on 14 August. NNC conducted a referendum in 1951 in which 99 % people endorsed independent Nagaland. In 1952, Phizo formed underground 'Naga Federal Govt' & 'Naga Federal Army' and boycotted 1st general election of 1952. Thereafter he launched a violent secessionist movement. To crush insurgency, army was sent to Nagaland. To give enhanced police powers to the army, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was applied in 1958. In 1960, Phizo escaped to London via East Pakistan. After prolonged deliberations with remaining Naga leaders and other stake holders, Nagaland was given statehood on 01 December 1963. Facing tremendous pressure of the army, NNC signed Shillong Accord with the central govt in 1975 and agreed to give up arms. But 150 insurgents under T Muivah, gone to China for training, refused to accept Shillong accord. Isak Chisi Swu, S S Khaplong and Muivah formed NSCN in 1980 which got split in 1988 after violent clashes. While Khaplong formed NSCN (K), the NSCN (IM) leaders left China and escaped to Thiland. After Phizo's death in 1991 in London, NNC began to fade away. Prime Minister Narasimha Rao met Muivah, Isak and other NSCN leaders in Paris on 15 June 1995 followed by more meetings by Rajesh Pilot, MoS Home, in 1995-96. In February 1997 PM Deve Gowda met them in Zurich. PM Vajpayee met them in Paris on 30 September 1998. Muivah and Isak again held talks with Vajpayee and Home Minister L K Advani in Delhi from 9 to 11 January 2003. They met Premier Manmohan Singh on 7 December 2004. After prolonged negotiations, a ceasefire agreement was signed between NSCN (IM) and govt of India on 31 July 2007 after which another 80 rounds of talks led two sides to work out current Peace Accord. The peace process got a tremendous boost when T R Zelong led Naga People's Front, part of the NDA govt in the centre, urged all political parties in the Nagaland Assembly, including Congress, to become partners in all party national govt formation.
Key demand of the Naga Insurgent groups had been creation of a 'Greater Nagalim' (Nagaland State) for two million Nagas. Their Nagalim includes all contagious Nagas inhibted areas along Nagaland which includes several districts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur as well as large tract of Myanmar. (Muivah, a Tankhul Naga, belongs to Ukhrul in Manipur, Isak, a Sema Naga belongs to Nagaland and Khaplong belongs to Myanmar). Nagaland Legislative Assembly has passed 'Greater Nagalim' resolution five times between 1964 to 2015.
The map of their 'Greater Nagalim' is 1,20,000 sq kms while the present state of Nagaland is 16, 527 kms.
It may be recalled that there have been far too many Naga-Kuki clashes and massacres on many occasions as well as blockade of Nagaland-Manipur Highway, the only life line of Manipur, for weeks / months together by various Nagas, Kukis or their rival groups on various issues including for or against the demand of Nagalim.
Hence the dialogue process and other peace initiatives as well as completion of Silcher-Imphal Rail line, which does not pass through Nagaland, were intensified.
Though details of the accord are not known, nor a word has been said by the Prime Minister from the Red Fort, it will be crucial to see how NSCN's (IM) key demand of 'Greater Nagalim' is resolved or met. The real challenge begins now after the accord is done. The understanding seems to be 'greater political and financial autonomy' to Nagaland and areas inhibited by Nagas in other states with provisions for extensive cultural integration of these areas. How the govt tackles NSCN (K), which abrogated 15 years old truce by attacking Indian Army Convoy in Manipur in June this year killing 18 soldiers after having killed 12 before. NSCN (K) has now formed a 'United Liberation Front of South East Asia' along with ULFA and several other militant groups. It poses serious threat to the application of Peace Accord. How to get them on board for ensuring peace and stability in Nagaland and neighboring states will therefore be crucial for the govt. With the improvement of bilateral relations with China, Myanmar and Bangladesh, their support to these militant outfits has weakened but the home grown support still exists.
Modi's 'Act East Policy' to link upto South East Asia through Northeast will only work if long festering Naga problem is sorted out through this accord. Modi has said that it is a signal for other smaller groups to give up weapons.
This accord should also pave the way for similar accords with separatists in J&K and Maoists in the Red Corridor. The story of J&K must depart from the past and undergo faster changes with no ISIS or Pakistan flags seen in future. |
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