National Socialist Council of Nagaland NSCN-IM’s leaders Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah has been holding consultations with the Naga civil society leaders. The two leaders have had consultations with the civil societies before also a number of times. Every consultation is always preceded by a new development in the talks spanning fifteen years. The IM faction is not the only faction having a ceasefire with the government of India, but it is the only group holding talks towards a political solution. Other factions like the Khaplang group and other Naga underground groups are involved in the political process even though they are yet to enter into political talks. Meanwhile, there have been several violations of the ground rules of the ceasefire by most of the groups. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has stated his stand on the issue very clearly. He is against redrawing the boundaries of the states but he does not have any objection to emotional integration of the Nagas, whatever that means. But, the Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is unavailable for comment. The heat for political solution had increased in recent times with the onset of elections of the Nagaland Assembly and every faction is clamouring for a space in the process as they would not like to be left out. Even though the NSCN-IM faction has vehemently denied succumbing to solution within the Indian constitution or within the limits of the Nagaland state, the statements of some Naga civil society groups speak otherwise. This demand of alternative arrangement in the state of Manipur speaks volumes on the so-called ‘solution’ that they are talking about in the negotiations. Although the demand for alternative arrangement came up after the Mao stand-off when NSCN-IM supremo Thuingaleng Muivah was stopped in his tracks by the government of Manipur citing law and order issues, it foretold a solution within the territorial limits of the state of Nagaland and a separate arrangement for Nagas residing outside the Indian state of Nagaland. It has long been predicted by knowledgeable persons that the solution to the Naga problem lies within the state of the Nagaland and not in integrating contiguous Naga inhabited areas of India. For fifteen years, the Chanakya like political masters of India had played upon the dream of a greater Nagalim so as to infuse a friction in the inter-community relations in North-east India and a greater divide in the fragile ethnic relationship of the state of Manipur. The recent outburst of United Naga Council, Manipur (UNC) against the United Committee Manipur (UCM) and the All Manipur Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) explains this phenomenon. Yes, we have to accept the fact that the anti-Naga rhetoric of these organisations is quite well known and it has added salt to the wounded ego of the Naga civil society organisations. But, we also must understand that the rhetoric was mostly against the civil society groups espousing the cause of greater Nagalim and not on the Naga common people either inside the state of Manipur nor in the state of Nagaland. Well, there are grievances against the state in Manipur and the majority community in the state, which one must acknowledge. The orthodox Meitei Vaishnavism and the Meitei chauvinism have added more cause for the Nagas or the tribals to parrot the anti-Meitei rhetoric more. This was indeed the very basis of Thuingaleng Muivah’s anti-Meitei rhetoric. But, the Nagas must realise the fact that it was not the Nagas alone who had faced the atrocities of orthodox Meitei Vaishnavism. The Meitei common people had also faced the brutalities of orthodox Vaishnavism and it led to widespread excommunication of large numbers of the Meitei commoners who had objected to the orthodox and despotic Meitei King. But of course, the Meiteis had to shed its chauvinistic airs towards the other communities inhabiting the state for kick-starting a process of change in the inter-community relations in the state. And, the Nagas have to overcome its ego and seek a fresh start in the state of Manipur. There is no such thing as shame in the process of reconcialition.
