With the big victory of the BharatiyaJanata Party in the 2014 Indian general election, the Government of India (GoI) appointed a new interlocutor to represent India for the protracted Indo-Naga political talk.With enthusiasm to end all conflicts and hope to embrace a new beginning, the Nagas honoured the appointment. Soon after, on 3rd August, 2015 the Framework Agreement was signed at 7 RCR, New Delhi, in the presence of all the top dignitaries of the two entities: India and Nagalim. Things seemed to have developed quicker than expected. As a result, with much celebration and joy, the Naga people appreciated the efforts of government of India (GoI), National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) and Mr. Ravindra Narayana Ravi.
Little did the Naga people know that a wolf in sheep’s skin was creeping in slowly towards the hillock. The man preaching against gun violence almost became the mother of a new bloodbath in the entire Indian sub-continent. However, he misfired with the SET DEADLINE of 31st October. After heavily decorating the entire Naga inhabited area with camouflage dresses, sophisticated weapons, hovering jet fighters, trucks parading on the highways loaded with tanks, etc., the innocent Nagas were expected by India to silently watch and wait for their supposedly passive offerings. Nagalim was made to look like a battlefield for some weeks. Possibly, Nagas were seen as a mere battle object then.
While preaching for the solution that is inclusive and durable, one is earnestly working behind the scenes strengthening the antagonists functioning against the common aspirations. Some gangs were frivolously redefined as ‘freedom fighters’ and have gained prominence before India.
The word ‘Primary Stakeholders’ is formulated into the Naga political arena so as to make certain sections of the Nagas be considered secondary. With time, the pseudo-nationalist was rewarded as the governor, demeaning the Naga political issue to whatever their interpretation is.This was widely believed to be a modus operandi to run new India, by making a loyalist larger than life, not on the basis of merit but for licking the master’s shoe. And as expected, it is somehow successful, if we are to look from Indian perspective. However, for any normal being, it is a very inhuman situation, forcibly running a farce government with the barrel of guns, on an occupied land.
Seeing the present position of the Nagas, India has laid booby traps all around; a lesson well learnt from their former master- the British. Much has been done to divide Nagas further by using failed politicians and unemployed youths to propagate hatred.For reasons best known to the aggressor, many un-mandated, unknown and self-vested organizations have popped out from every corner to speak India’s language.Inspite of fully knowing the reality and vulnerability of those individual (s) and organization (s), India chose to work closely with them and use them.
There is this person, (I will not mention the name to avoid making it personal and also him having no role to be playing in the movement) who goes to Hebron camp, and instantly becomes a sympathizer of Naga sovereignty after reading the Framework Agreement for the congregation.However, after meeting the governor, the pseudo-Naga-nationalist returns to his old self and since then, has become the mouthpiece of lies and dangerous propagandas, more aggressively than ever before.He validates lies from the creator of the lies.
Nagaland state is blessed with many media houses, both English and vernacular. It is sad to learn that, on a special occasion at Raj Bhawan, all Nagaland media houses were turned down for interactions, except one.
The severe disease of media filtering has apparently reached our untouched beautiful Nagalim country. A national journalist even called him partisan on his facebook post. In all probability, this is a special art learnt from the two masters hailing from western India, presently residing in New Delhi.
The elected legislature of India’s Nagaland is running on the diktat of an individual. Yet, it appears to be masquerading as ‘government.’ Yes, no doubt, the governor is the boss but people’s representatives also have their responsibility, besides amassing public wealth.
Whether he is the anointed de facto supreme comandante of the Nagas, or probably, the self-styled wannabe supreme comandante for the Nagas, only time will tell.
The one and only Indian who has profited the most from the conflict may still remember how Naga youth have, without any hesitation and reservation, questioned India’s sincerity during the Naga Students Federation general conference held at Khonoma in 2015. Becoming an over-night hero in the eye of the saffron brigade because of a paradoxical article published in a national paper in 2014 might have helped to be who he is today.
Nonetheless, as a layman with a hope for a shared better future of India-Naga-Myanmar, and for all the humanities, I pray that the comandante be remembered by posterity as a visionary leader resolving the longest political conflict in the region and not for who he is, AS OF NOW!
Veilou Veino (veilouveino@
gmail.com)