By Rajkumar Bobichand
There are fallacies in the approach of the “Peace-Process” between the Government of India (GOI) and the leaders of Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland – NSCN (IM). Some fallacies among others are –GOI and its Chanakyas never stop considering that the “Peace-Talk” between GOI and NSCN(IM) as the peace process to resolve the decades old Indo-Naga Conflict; and another fallacy is the consideration of NSCN (IM) as the legitimate representative of Naga peoples having peoples’ mandate. They also think that bringing settlement between the GOI and NSCN (IM) will resolve all the insurgency problems in India’s Northeast or the North-Western Region of Southeast Asia (Nowersesia). They all think that the Indo-Naga conflict can be resolved ignoring the other stake holders.
Moreover the fallacies in their approach of the “Peace-Process”, the most treacherous are the deliberate ignorance of the history of Manipur and its peoples and ground realities; securing the territorial boundary of India is considered top priority at the cost of divisions amongst the peoples of Manipur and dismember of the three neighbouring states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and particularly Manipur. The two parties keep the other stake holders in total darkness.
That is why Indian Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde doesn’t bother about posing the question, “what’s the harm in giving Alternative Arrangements to the Nagas”?- to the Chief Ministers of Nagaland state’s neighbouring states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and particularly Manipur.
On the other hand, the Government of India says quite often that Manipur’s interest will be protected? It is pertinent to ask – Does the Government of India really understand the interest of Manipur? If it is interest of Manipur, what is /and are interest(s) of Manipur? If they understand the interest of Manipur, why Indian Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde doesn’t bother about posing the question, “what’s the harm in giving Alternative Arrangements to the Nagas”? Instead of consulting the provincial governments of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and particularly Manipur, why the GOI pushing the three provincial governments to their give consent to the GOI’s proposals already prepared in consultation with the leaders of NSCN (IM)? Can GOI not foresee the repercussions of this question and following actions of the GOI? Is GOI deliberately designing to divide the peoples of the region so that India can contain its territorial boundary considering geopolitical situation of the region? Does GOI think that a united movement of the armed groups of the region will be out of hand and may lose the geopolitically strategic region? And it is necessary to divide the peoples within the existing boundaries?
If the NSCN (IM) is allowed to have a common administrative unit encompassing Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur beyond Nagaland, will it not be a bad precedent for India? Does the GOI not want to stop now underestimating the Manipurese? Does GOI think that Manipurese will not demand to have a common administrative unit encompassing the region and even beyond India particularly Kabaw Valley and Bangladesh where Manipurese settle? The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has already made it clear that if the GOI does not respect and maintain the integrity of Manipur, the UCM will be compelled to demand the pre-merger status of Manipur. Does GOI think that the peoples of Manipur forget from their heads and hearts how Kabaw Valley was lost and northern boundary of Manipur was pushed back upto the present boundary from Thiboma (Kohima)? Kabaw Valley was gifted by Jawaharlal Nehru to U Nu of Burma on March 29 1953 at the Imphal polo ground. The northern boundary was pushed southward during the British Rule. That is why the peoples of Manipur do not demand to India to restore the northern boundary. Manipur accepts its lost as it happened before the coerced merger of Manipur to Dominion India.
On the other hand, does the stand of the United Committee Manipur (UCM) and All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur not include integrity and unity of the peoples of Manipur? When there is a state within state, how can the integrity and unity of Manipur be maintained and protected? When the hills areas, the needs of all the ethnic groups of Manipur where all the ethnic groups of Manipur should have their stakes are in the hands of few ethnic groups, will not more conflicts and violence be produced?
In my last week’s column, I mentioned that the hills are the common resources of the peoples who settle both in the hills and the valleys. Hills are the sources of forest produce, horticultural produce, fuels, minerals, water and life while the valleys are the rice bowl for the peoples of Manipur. Hills are the ecology of the lives of the people of Manipur and inseparable part of the ecosystem. It is the need of the all peoples of Manipur irrespective of ethnic groups. Peoples of the hills and the valleys are mutually interdependent and all the ethnic groups of Manipur need both the hills and the valleys. The hills need the valleys and the valleys need the hills. Therefore all the ethnic groups need to have the equal stakes in all the spheres of Manipur. All the ethnic groups of Manipur need to maintain it.
For all the ethnic groups to live in active coexistence with dignity of life, equity share of resources and development, justice and mutual respect of the distinct identities of the different ethnic groups, to have the same right and stake by all the different ethnic groups of Manipur is the need of Manipur which cannot be indivisible, inseparable and non-negotiable. Needs are not like Interest which can be negotiated and substituted by another satisfier. Therefore, it is high time for all the right and positive thinking people of Manipur irrespective of their ethnic groups including even the peoples who are with the NSCN (IM) to transcend and come together and visualise a common vision for all the ethnic groups of Manipur. If all the stake holders really want a lasting peace in the region, not only the GOI but also all the non-state stakeholders including civil societies need to understand that a united and undivided Manipur is the Need of all the ethnic groups. It is not Manipur’s interest but needs.
