Speculations musn’t be allowed to ruin solution
The controversial statement that NSCN(IM) general secretary T Muivah recently made about the Centre having “recognised” the rights of Nagas to the integration of all Naga territories in the North-East, should not be allowed to hamper the ongoing effort in arriving at a resolution to the long-standing problem. In the first place, there has been no official confirmation of his claim that the Framework Agreement has any roadmap for combining Naga-dominated regions in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh into what is being referred to as ‘Greater Nagalim’. In Muivah's scheme of things, large areas of Assam adjoining Nagaland, nearly all of the hill districts of Manipur, three districts of Arunachal Pradesh — and even parts of Myanmar — should all be integrated into his ‘Greater Nagaland' project.
There are some eight districts in Manipur that are dominated by Naga tribes, one of which Muivah himself belongs to. His remark, having been made at a NSCN (IM) Council meeting, was probably aimed at consolidating his hold over the organisation and to dispel any misgiving that he was selling out to the Centre. Muivah does not perhaps wish to give an impression that he is bending far too much for the Naga good. He has many competitors within the organisation and also in the rival factions that have been opposed to his overtures to the Union Government. Whatever the case may be, his remark has created not just ripples but also in a way vitiated the atmosphere in which talks are proceeding. Old fears have been revived and long-held apprehensions are being touted to arouse the sentiments of people. The danger is that the matter would be politically exploited — creating fresh complications instead of resolving existing ones. One does hope that the stakeholders concerned will not slip up at this crucial juncture.
It is true that the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working hard and considering various out-of-the-box solutions to the long-festering dispute. Bringing a resolution is critical to not just peace but also economic development in the North-East. Only months ago, Modi had said at an election rally in Imphal, Manipur, that there was not a word in the accord which sought to compromise the territorial integrity of Manipur or other States in the region. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs too has clarified that media reports hinting at such territorial combination are speculative, and even “erroneous”. The ‘Greater Nagaland' talk, it repeated, was a figment of imagination in some people's mind. These official statements ought to set the matter to rest. We must wait and see what the Framework Agreement says and proposes to do to tackle the Naga aspirations. At the same time, there will have to be some give-and-take among all the stakeholders. Now that the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, and has strong political influence in Nagaland as well, it is well positioned to craft a solution.