Under suspended animation

After all the hype and hullaballoo among politicians and organisations since 2019, regarding securing solution to the Naga political issue, today there seems to be less heard about the issue and the near-total blackout, has only served to raise suspicions that the Centre may not be ready yet to walk the talk. Solution to the Naga political issue was super-hyped towards the end of 2019 after government of India’s then Interlocutor to the Naga peace talks R.N.Ravi had lit the spark when he said that all official negotiations will end by October 31,2019 and begin the process for solution. Not wanting to be left out of the media glare, the elected members were however unprepared for Ravi’s surprising authoritative confidence that it was only but a matter of inking the paper for the final agreement. However, as in the past the high expectations were belied when even politicians confidently predicted that solution was but around the corner but which always turned out to be a mirage. The delay was explained to the demand of the NSCN(I-M) to include flag and constitution which had been rejected by the Centre in the past. Perhaps there are some points still left to be ironed out over the demand to include flag and constitution in the agreement.Perhaps there is also a likelihood that the Centre will come around to the issue either just before the Lok Sabha election or even leave the matter in the twilight zone. The expectation of early solution was raised since 2015, when the Framework Agreement was signed between the government of India and NSCN(I-M) on August 3,2015 and then later, signing of the Agreed Position with the Working Committee of seven-member Naga National Political Groups(NNPGs). Negotiations to the Naga political issue has been ongoing since over 25 years with expected solution nowhere in sight. In contrast, the Mizo political issue was finalised in two years. While the Naga issue is being negotiated between the Centre with Naga groups, the Mizo issue was a tri-partite negotiation involved the representative of the Rajiv Gandhi government, officials of the Lalthanhawla state government and MNF president Laldenga. It may be also pointed out that the Mizo peace process dealt with the people living within a state whereas the Naga peace process involves Nagas of Nagaland, parts of Manipur while it has been suggested to include a package for Nagas in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Since 2003 and under various regional parties, the state legislators had tasked themselves with facilitating the process for solution. Numerous consultative meetings were held with tribal hohos and CSOs and meetings NSCN(I-M) and Working Committee of the seven-member NNPGs, to bring them on the same page. Instead, the focus has shifted to the demand for bifurcation of Nagaland and which may in some way affect the aspiration for solution in a compact area. What package(s) the Centre would offer could possibly even be a tripartite solution though this is yet a speculation till the Modi government eventually unveils its long-delayed blueprint for peace.