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Nagaland Assembly shows the way
Sach Kanwal
Singh
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The Nagaland Assembly has passed a
Resolution recognising the Naga undergrounds as those “who have
selflessly worked, fought and sacrificed” for the “aspirations
and rights of the Naga people” and said these forces continue to
follow the “tradition of selfless sacrifices” for the “common
cause” of the Naga people. It said that the time had come for
the Assembly to rise to the occasion and play its contributory
role. Just pause and think: What has been the role of the
elected representatives of
Punjab
and the
Punjab
Assembly in their engagement with the Sikh aspirational
struggle? |
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 For someone like
Prakash Singh Badal, here is a lesson in how to engage with the
agitation and struggle waged by thousands of Sikhs for the
self-respect of the community. For the Indian nation state, this is
a slap in the face of all those who are quick to berate aspirational
struggles and battles as "terrorism". "Terrorism" has become such a
tag that the governments conveniently slap on actions of civil
society groups, people's movements and ethnic societies. But the
brave people of Nagaland and their elected representatives have sent
out a clear signal that even the dumb establishment cannot miss.
On Friday, the
27th of November, 2009, the Nagaland Assembly created history and a
precedent by unanimously adopting a resolution in which the House
recognised the Naga undergrounds as those “who have selflessly
worked, fought and sacrificed” for the “aspirations and rights of
the Naga people.”
The House also
expressed recognition of those undergrounds who continue to follow
the “tradition of selfless sacrifices” for the “common cause” of the
Naga people.
The members of
the Assembly put on record their appreciation for “sincerity” of the
underground groups, “especially the commitment towards peace and
understanding by signing the Covenant of Reconciliation on September
23, 2003 at Chiang Mai, Thailand.”
 Nagaland Chief
Minister Neiphiu Rio, who moved the resolutions said the political
issue and the negotiations had reached a crucial stage and that the
time had come for the August House to rise to the occasion and play
its contributory role.
The development
should be a lesson to the elected MLAs and MPs in Punjab who are
beneficiaries of the struggle of thousands who died defending the
sanctity of the Sikh community's religious places and stood up to
tyrranical regimes to protect the self respect of the community. The
Punjab Assembly has never even thought of passing a resolution to
honor the memory of those who fought for the interests of the state,
for its assets, its waters, its territory.
The fact that
the Nagaland state legislative assembly has extended ‘recognition’
to the Naga undergrounds even as talks between the Government of
India and the NSCN(IM) have yet to
reach a
conclusive stage shows the dedication of the elected representatives
to the cause and their eagerness to take along those who really
fought for the Naga people.
The fact that
the resolution was passed unanimously must be hailed. In
Punjab
the Congress and the Akali Dal have both worked only to dilute or
negate the contribution of those who took a stance in favour of
their people and were made to suffer or were even killed.
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 The Nagaland
Assembly's Resolution appreciated efforts towards finding a
permanent solution to the decades-old “Indo-Naga” political problem.
Has Mr Badal ever used a term like Indo-Sikh problem? Or even
Indo-Punjab problem? |
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The resolution
passed by the Nagaland Assembly said those termed as insurgents are
in fact the ones who "continue to follow the tradition of selfless
sacrifices for the common cause of the Nagas.”
The state
assembly also reiterated its earlier stand on integration of all
Naga-inhabited areas in the region, an issue that also figures
prominently on the NSCN agenda. “It is the desire of the Nagas to
live together as one family and this House has rightly voiced the
cry of the Naga people,” Chief Minister Rio said. The Nagaland
Assembly has so far passed four resolutions in favour of integration
of Naga areas” first on December 12, 1964, followed by August 28,
1970, September 16, 1994 and December 18, 2003. The 60-member House
in the resolution also appealed the negotiating parties of the Naga
political dialogue to expedite the political process and bring about
an early resolution through a negotiated settlement which was
honourable and acceptable to the Naga people.
“We appeal to
the negotiating parties of the political dialogue to expedite the
political process and bring an early resolution through negotiated
settlement which is honourable and acceptable to the Naga people,”
the resolution said.
Chief Minister
Rio, while moving the resolution, called upon legislators to come
together, cutting across party lines, with one voice on the Naga
political issue. “Our unity and understanding will create the right
environment for all sections including civil societies and
underground groups to unite and work together.” He said it was all
the more imperative that the over ground groups first unite before
the undergrounds were called upon to come together.
When was the
last time you remember the Akali Dal president and Chief Minister
Prakash Singh Badal who first enjoyed power during 1997-2002 and
then from 2007 onwards ever making such an appeal to other Akali
factions?
The state
assembly, through its resolution, also appreciated efforts towards
finding a permanent solution to the decades-old “Indo-Naga”
political problem. Has Mr Badal ever used a term like Indo-Sikh
problem? Or even Indo-Punjab problem?
The Nagaland
Assembly resolution also appreciated the civil society, churches,
NGOs and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) for their all out
efforts towards reconciliation, understanding and oneness of all
sections of Naga society. The resolution also hailed the sincerity
of the underground groups, especially their commitment towards peace
and understanding by signing the “Covenant of Reconciliation”
earlier at Chiangmai in Thailand on September 23 this year.
 The resolution
further decided to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the
Naga political issue comprising members from all political parties.
This committee would carry the voice of the House to all concerned
sections including the Centre and the Naga rebel groups.
The Naga
Peoples' Front (NPF) has appreciated the Nagaland Legislative
Assembly to institute the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
Just when some
voices in India murmurred about such a resolution, New Delhi was
jolted by the unity of the Naga people and ensured that the
discordant voices are silenced immediately. This is what happens
when a community is clear about its interests and a sense of purpose
and unity binds them to a common cause. No wonder, India's Home
Secretary G K Pillai was quick to not only not oppose or criticise
but even go as far as to back the Nagaland Assembly resolution in
support of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).
Pillai said that the NSCN is not a banned organisation and that the
government was looking to resolve all Naga issues through dialogue.
In contrast to
the Punjab Assembly which did not ever praise even men like Bhai
Jaswant Singh Khalra or Sirdar Kapoor Singh, forget about praising
Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale or Bhai Shahbeg Singh, here was the
Nagaland State Assembly that praised Issac Swu and Thinuselie Muiva,
the founders of the NSCN, the most feared ultra outfit in Nagaland.
Irrespective of
the Indian media's concerted efforts to paint the NSCN (IM) as being
responsible for the deaths of prominent editors, police officers and
army officials and tom-tomming the NSCN getting plenty of support in
arms, ammunition, cash and other resources from China, Pakistan, and
Bangladesh, here was the elected Assembly that gave legitimacy to
the brave underground movement and thus telling the world that what
is called the "six-decade-long insurgency" is something that was a
movement of the people, for the people, by the people.
It is to be
noted that the 60-member Nagaland Assembly that passed the
Resolution also included 19 opposition Congress party legislators.
The move of the
Nagaland Assembly will also yield benefits for the militant groups
as it is also aimed at uniting all underground groups and ending
violence and bloodshed. The rival NSCN factions are fighting a
bitter turf war for territorial supremacy in Nagaland since they
split in 1988. The internecine war has claimed many lives.
 Another
significant resolution was to integrate all Naga-inhabited areas in
the northeast, a demand that has for long been raised by the
Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland
(NSCN-IM).
'It is the
desire of the Nagas to live together as one family and this house
has rightly voiced the cry of the Naga people,' Rio said in the
assembly.
The NSCN-IM, one
of the oldest and most powerful of about 30 rebel groups in India's
northeast, was earlier fighting for an independent homeland for the
Nagas but scaled it down to a 'Greater Nagaland', to be formed by
slicing off parts of adjoining states that have Naga tribal
populations. The governments of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh
have rejected the demand for unification of Naga-dominated areas.
New Delhi too has earlier rejected demands for unification of all
Naga inhabited areas. But with the united voice now coming through
the Assembly, New Delhi will have little option but to concede.
One cannot help
but wonder what would have been the conditions in
Punjab
had the political leaders of the state displayed a similar concern
for
Punjab,
Punjabi and Punjabiyat rather than raise the bogey of terrorism.
2
December 2009
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