With a peace accord imminent, is a Naga national govt still possible?

Naga Republic News & Analysis

The ‘Naga accord’ is nearly final. This is what a newspaper (The Indian Express) reported about two months back. Delhi and the Naga armed groups are said to have finalised the substantive portions of the peace accord which is likely to be signed before the monsoon session of Parliament, the news report further stated.

The accord, official sources told The Indian Express, does not change the boundary of states; provides autonomous Naga territorial councils for Arunachal and Manipur; a common cultural body for Nagas across states; specific institutions for state’s development, integration and rehabilitation of non-state Naga militia and the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

When contacted by The Indian Express, the Centre’s interlocutor, R N Ravi, who signed the framework agreement with National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN-IM in August 2015, said: “Yes, we are pretty close to finalising the (Naga Peace) accord”.

While the content and substance of the upcoming accord is being finalized, The Naga Republic is of the view that the more significant issue that faces the Naga people is how the peace accord will be signed and implemented.

Although the Government of India is dealing with seven Naga armed groups, sources said it will sign “only one single accord with all of them”.

As reported some time back, Interlocutor Ravi was quoted as having said that “there is only one peace process…and eventually there will be only one agreement as we cannot fragment the Naga issue”.

It is in this spirit that talks are going on simultaneously with the NSCN (IM) and the Working Group of the 6 Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs).

The Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), which had in the recent past successfully mediated with the warring Naga groups, had brought out some key concerns and issues raised by the public during its open interaction held in Dimapur, Kohima and New Delhi.

“What does reconciliation mean when two groups are negotiating with GOI?” was one of the questions that the FNR was asked during these public meetings. And amidst the continuing divisions, people have voiced their worry over the proposed Naga peace accord.

“Are we ready for the Framework Agreement”, was a common refrain coming from the public during the interactions with the FNR even as apprehensions were raised over the growing trust deficit in Naga society, hatred among tribes, identity politics etc.

While some doubts and uncertainty remain over how the Naga civil society will take responsibility to keep peace within, in the eventuality of an accord, the FNR Convenor Rev Dr Wati Aier did point out that ‘in some way the FNR was preparing the way for a peaceful settlement’ and that the ‘key to peace in post-settlement is healing’.

But can the FNR, which has its own share of critics, be able to bring everyone on board, including the political, tribal and social groups, both in Nagaland and beyond?

After a prolonged silence, since the signing of the Framework Agreement between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM), the FNR did come out with a communiqué urging for the implementation of the ‘Naga Concordant’ which the top Naga Political Groups had signed on August 26, 2011.

It may be mentioned that the center piece agreement in the ‘Naga Concordant’, mediated by the FNR, was for the different armed groups to work towards the formation of one Naga National Government.

Pointing out that the “incomplete consummation of the Naga Concordant has had its due share of criticism from many quarters, including the general public”, the FNR in a statement issued on April 4 urged “the Naga leaders and the Naga public to reconnect and tap into the vast potentials offered in the Naga Concordant”.

Signed by top Naga leaders Mr. Th Muivah, the Late Mr. Isak Chishi Swu, Brigadier (Retired) S. Singnya, Mr. Zhopra Vero, General (Retired) Khole Konyak, and Mr. N. Kitovi Zhimomi, the ‘Naga Concordant’ had “resolved in principle to work towards the formation of one Naga National Government”.

To ensure the realization of the Naga National Government, the Naga Concordant had even taken the step to form a High Level Commission (HLC) comprising of the signatories, headed by the Chairman/President or the General Secretary/Vice President, and having no less than four competent members in the ranks of Kilonser/Major General and above, as found deemed fit by the respective governments.

Further according to the Naga Concordant, in order to expedite this process of eventually forming the Naga National Government, the HLC was to hold meetings without any further delay in the presence of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation as facilitators. However till date the signatories have been unable to fulfill what was agreed upon in the Naga Concordant.

“The truth is that the Naga Concordant has not been fulfilled and, logically, we have not kept our commitment to the Nagas. And, thus today, we remain in an unresolved state”, the FNR stated in its April 4 communiqué.

To refresh public memory, following the signing of the Naga Concordant on August 26, 2011, another agreement was signed on March 2014 following two days of closed door meeting between top Naga leaders facilitated by the FNR. Called the ‘Lenten Agreement’, the same set of signatories had reiterated “to the formation of Naga National Government”.

The one key difference between the Naga Concordant and the Lenten Agreement was that in the former the High Level Commission of the Naga Political Groups was to hold meetings “in the presence of the FNR as facilitators” while in the Lenten Agreement, the signatories had put an additional clause requesting “the FNR to work out the modalities to expedite the process” of forming the Naga National Government.

No progress was made either with regard to the High Level Commission of the Naga Political Groups as mandated by the Naga Concordant or the proposed ‘modalities’ that the FNR was supposed to work on as per the Lenten Agreement.

The FNR however till today has not publicly stated the reason/s for the failure in implementing the Naga Concordant and the Lenten Agreement.

During the course of the series of public interaction, the FNR disclosed that the idea of a ‘Naga National Government’ came from the Naga Political Groups themselves i.e. those who signed the Covenant of Reconciliation.

The only other public statement from the FNR was that the idea “was not given a fair trial” and that even as the wish for ‘one Naga National Government’ became a declared statement, the government of India ‘expedited’ talks with one of the Naga groups.

Did the Framework Agreement therefore further divide the Nagas, including the Naga Political Groups?

The FNR as per its recent statement and observation states that it is the desire of the public for the Naga Political Groups to reconcile and points out that the “Naga people are now concerned about the health and capacity of our young nation to develop in the 21st century”.

“FNR is encouraged that the open public interactions in Dimapur, Kohima and Delhi have in different tones converged on the desire for the Naga political groups (NPGs) to reconcile. Along this line, young Nagas summed up that, reconciliation among all NPGs must happen”, reads a recent statement from the FNR.

Atleast on the face of it, the Naga political groups have re-affirmed their commitment during the recent ninth anniversary programme of the ‘Covenant of Reconciliation’ at the Dimapur’s Ao Baptist Arogo in Duncan Basti that was organized by the FNR.

A leader of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), steering committee’s convener in-charge Rh Raising said “We reiterate our stand that together we have started it, together we shall finish it. NSCN shall never back out from its commitment to it… now is the time of the Nagas to reassemble under one political roof.”

Another senior leader of the GPRN/NSCN C Singson also responded to the vision. He remarked:  “We look forward to partnering FNR in our common endeavour to foster brotherhood, peace, and unity in our land”. Leaving aside all the difference as a person, as political leaders with contrasting ideology and principles, the group assured “to learn to accept each other through reconciliation and love for the nation (Naga-Land).”

“FNR needs to assess the gaps and challenges… the groups will not come together on their own, it still needs a mediator like FNR to bring us together in reconciliation,” said Gen. (Retd.) Thinuoselie Keyho, a senior Naga national leader.

Although no representative from the NSCN (Khaplang) could turn up for the programme, the media was informed that the organisation had ‘confirmed support to the FNR’s agreement.’

Dr. Wati Aier, Convenor of the FNR, said during the programme that ‘common will is required to lead us to the future’ and that the ‘challenge is to keep working on reconciliation of not only the NPGs but also the public’.

With the Government of India making it clear that only one peace accord will be signed with all the groups, what is the way forward for the Naga people? A power-sharing national unity government is perhaps what is required to implement the upcoming peace accord.