The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : NOW FOR A BREAKTHROUGH

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 10, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Editorials

NOW FOR A BREAKTHROUGH

THE CENTRE AND the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) have shown commendable clear-headedness in putting aside their differences to make possible the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah, the two top leaders of the powerful Naga group. The meeting served the purpose of breaking the ice between the United Progressive Alliance Government and the NSCN (I-M), with which New Delhi has engaged in negotiations since 1998. Originally scheduled for November, it was in danger of not taking place at all when the Naga leaders, who live abroad in self-exile, suddenly called off their visit expressing their displeasure with the Centre for "encouraging and facilitating" the rival Khaplang faction of the NSCN. It speaks to the importance the Centre attached to their visit that it exerted itself to persuade Mr. Swu and Mr. Muivah to make the trip, denying their accusation and assuring them of the NSCN (I-M)'s pre-eminent position in the peace negotiations. Evidently, the NSCN (I-M) leaders also assigned considerable significance to the meeting with Dr. Singh, and decided to come out of their sulk quickly. From the reiteration by the Prime Minister and the Naga leaders during their meeting that "no stone should be left unturned to achieve a peaceful solution to the Indo-Naga conflict", it is clear both sides recognise that continuous engagement is the way forward.

Aside from the meeting with Dr. Singh, the visit by the two Naga leaders is important for another reason: Mr. Swu and Mr. Muivah will also travel to Nagaland, returning home only for the second time since leaving India in 1967. Although the Centre's separate ceasefire agreements with the NSCN (I-M) and the NSCN (Khaplang) have brought peace to the State since 1997, clashes between the two groups have not stopped. At the heart of the problem is the NSCN (I-M)'s claim to be the sole representative of the Nagas. The group does enjoy considerable popularity, but as the strongest of all the armed groups, it has also often been accused of trying to enforce its writ on the Naga people through heavy-handed tactics. It runs a virtual parallel government in the State, challenging every now and then the authority of the elected Government through its diktats. While it goes about asserting its supremacy, there are voices in Nagaland that want the peace process to take on board all militant and political groups, as only such inclusiveness can provide a lasting peace and an enduring solution to Naga demands. The month-long stay by the Swu-Muivah team in Nagaland will be watched closely for its impact on the group's relations with rivals as well as for the ability and willingness of the two leaders to accommodate the interests of different groups and political interests in the State.

Most importantly, when the two leaders return to New Delhi for further talks with the Centre, they will have a first-hand feel of the eagerness with which the Naga people await permanent peace. While it is too much to hope that this can be achieved in the immediate future, the two sides can at least make a concerted effort to begin talking about substantive political issues, the most important of which is the demand for a "greater Nagaland" incorporating all Naga-inhabited areas of the North-East. This is a sensitive and even explosive issue for the entire region but the peace process cannot continue indefinitely without discussions on this or other political issues. The Swu-Muivah visit to India provides an opportunity for making a breakthrough. Both the Centre and the Naga leadership must take it.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News Update

Stories in this Section

NOW FOR A BREAKTHROUGH

THE RUPEE AND THE DOLLAR

The patent controversy

Checking Martian health threat