By Oken Jeet sandham
For the first time in the history of Nagaland Assembly sessions, the Members particularly from Opposition Bench have not touched the Naga political issue in the recently concluded Session.
Normally the Naga political issue dominates the proceedings of the House blaming one another between the ruling and the opposition. But this time, since the Opposition has not raised any issue relating to the ongoing Naga peace process between the Government of India and the Naga underground leaders, the ruling side has not talked of.
Rather the Opposition appreciated the Home Minister this time for maintaining law and order and reducing the factional killings in the state.
In fact, the House instead should have chalked out a very concrete step where they can throw their ideas and thoughts on the ongoing peace process between the Government of India and the Naga underground leaders.
Because the process has reached a very crucial phase following the Government of India’s open declaration that the long drawn out Naga political issue would find solution in 12 to 24 months.
At the same time, the Government of India has also made it very clear that the final solution to the Naga political issue would only come about by holding talks to the entire Naga underground groups.
The above statements are very clear that things are coming to crucial stage. The civil societies, NGOs and the Government have been playing their role over the years and have been complaining against the delay of finding solution to the vexed Naga political issue.
They also echoed their worries on many occasions on the factional violence that claimed numerous innocent lives. The Nagas have been yearning for peace and unity amongst the various factions of the Naga underground organizations.
The normalcy returned in the state had been appreciated by many including Opposition Congress and the Government of India as well.
At the same time, NSCN (IM) General Secretary Th Muivah has heaped praises on the Indian leaders especially the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, saying they were serious this time to resolve the Naga issue.
We should not only talk of the Naga issue when there are in bad shape but we should also talks when they are in positive development. But the recent Nagaland Assembly Session has failed to discuss the matter as to how they could play their part at this critical juncture.
Some weeks back, the State Home Minister Imkong L Imchen expressed his appreciation to the leaderships of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P Chidambaram and also newly appointed interlocutor RS Pandey for their sincerity towards finding solution to the Naga political issue this time round.
Yet, he made it a very decisive but fundamental statement that is likely to be the last medicine for the entire Nagas while they enter into a final settlement of their longstanding problem. It is “Common Agenda” that is to be drawn up to be the basis for talks with New Delhi.
He or the Government cannot be a party to the talks but what he elucidated was the Naga intelligentsia should help provide inputs to the wisdom of the Naga national workers who are now talking with the Government of India to frame a “Common Agenda.”
This is very important and since the talks between the Government of India and the Naga underground leaders reached to a very decisive stage, it is now time for the Naga over-ground leaders, civil society, NGOs and intelligentsia to come forward in helping the Naga underground leaders in framing the “Common Agenda.”
Unfortunately, when the Government of India has openly stated that solution would find in 12 to 24 months, nobody on the Floor of the House in the just concluded Session touched the point. I think it will not be too long to see a Special Assembly Session to discuss on this crucial issue as things are fast coming to close towards the Government of India’s deadline of finding solution.
[ via Asian Tribune ]
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