Do you know that there are more than 6000 Nagas live, study and work in Bengaluru enriching the cities’ life and culture? Do we know of their life, culture and history? Do we know about their 63 year old political struggle? Do you know that now, their leadership is engaged in peace negotiations with the Government of India?
Of course, the Naga issue has recently been in the news following the blockade of the main highways of Manipur state by Naga groups for more than 60 days. The blockade was mis-represented in most of the mainstream media, marginalizing the genuine issues of the Nagas, jeopardizing 13 long years of the ceasefire agreement between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM). While the undeniable hardships of the common citizen hard hit by shortages is highlighted, the injustice meted out to the Nagas by successive governments in New Delhi and Imphal also needs to be understood.
The Nagas for 63 years have mostly lived under repressive security laws in a region where the Indian security forces have been a virtual law unto themselves, protected by the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958. The Nagas have experienced brutal repression and violation of human rights, with younger generations being born and raised under the shadow of the gun.
The Indo-Naga conflict is one of the longest in South Asia. The Naga struggle first took shape in 1929, when the representative of the Naga people submitted a memorandum to the Simon Commission. It got intensified after the advent of the Indian independence and the imposition of the first General Election in 1952. At first, the Nagas adopted non-violent methods to press their demands but making no headway, went underground and launched guerilla warfare against the Indian Army. The mishandling of the situation by the Government of India has not only failed the peace process but also divided the Nagas into different factions which further complicated the impasse. After a long wait there has been peace in the region after the ceasefire agreement was signed between the (NSCN-IM) and the Government of India since August 1997 and subsequently with other Naga armed groups. Peace negotiations between the two parties have been going-on for more than 13 years now and with more than 70 rounds of talks between them, both outside and within India. While no concrete solution has emerged, the ceasefire with the Naga groups have brought peace in the region as other dissenting groups have also followed suit which has somewhat brought normalcy in the region.
Peace is pre-requisite for any solution to take place and therefore this hard earned peace must not just go due to the mishandling of the situation from any quarters. We need to strengthen the peace process because all of us want peace. Unfortunately, the peace process has been shrouded in secrecy and has been kept aloof from the people’s preview and the Naga public. The North East peoples in general are apprehensive about the secrecy of ongoing talks as it has not been a transparent process. Therefore, the general public must be made aware of what was being discussed behind closed doors. There is need to democratize the peace process.
In the light of this, Naga civil society organizations and concerned citizens and organizations in India have resolved to organize a series of programmes in different parts of the country to highlight the Peace Process and the continuing difficulties it is facing. We believe this will pave way for conflict transformation in other regions in the Sub-continent too. Keeping this perspective in mind, the Indian civil societies along with the Naga Students’ Union Bangalore would like to engage interested people committed to peace, justice and democracy for a wholesome public debate and discussion on what has been going with the Naga Peace process for the last 13 years. Pressure needs to be built up on all parties to the conflict in order to evolve a just and an enduring solution to the long drawn struggle of a people who are not only on the margins of our consciousness but margins of the country. Only public pressure and the ground swell for peace can work and this would happen only when you and I become conscious of the issue.
"Peace will come, only through ordinary people in the sub-continent! Through you and me!
For more information contact: 9845535421, 9916567827 Email: thenagapeace@gmail.com
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