Dimapur — Naga society has agreed on the need for honest and multi dimensional discussions in order to take the Naga struggle forward.
To facilitate the reconciliation process within, the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) brought together representatives of 38 Tribe-based organisations, churches and civil society at Agri Expo here today for a consultative meet on ‘Taking Responsibility for Nation Building,’ a statement published in local dailies on March 16.
Dr. Wati Aier, Convener, FNR, presented the document and termed this as a “defining moment” in Naga history. All the organisations unanimously endorsed the statement by a show of hands, stating, “Nagas fervently desire that their national groups should now evolve a mutually agreed approach with strength and unity, in order to achieve a settlement.”
The participants expressed the need for all the Naga political groups to meet at the earliest. For this the FNR has been mandated to pursue and facilitate the same without further delay,reported Morung Express.
Peace activist, Niketu Iralu, while supplementing the statement, said that it lays out a difficult but possible roadmap for the Naga people. To delve on and overcome the barriers faced by the Naga people at this point of time, “honest conversations” are a necessity, he said. Noting that it is “extremely difficult” to do what is morally right during the course of human struggle, he lauded the efforts of the FNR for taking the responsibility to “heal and restore” the Naga struggle.
“The Nagas must become a people who care more for the health and growth of the Naga tree than the Naga fruit,” he noted, asserting the importance of process in the Naga struggle.
He predicted that the Nagaland State Government, an “illegitimate child” of the struggle, will become a main battleground in the years to come. While ‘sovereignty’ is not a problem for the Nagas, Iralu said, it is a problem for India to solve, which is why Naga people must not pursue short sighted agendas that lead to “frozen hearts” towards one another.
Referring to Naga nationality, he maintained that “we have started something great” and that mistakes are bound to be committed in the struggle for this. But the mistakes must be acknowledged, and compassion shown towards each other in order to understand the challenges that lie ahead.
Highlighting one such challenge ahead, HK Zhimomi, vice president of Naga Hoho, asked the congregation not to blame the national workers for not uniting when “we ourselves cannot work with each other.” He said it is a must for Naga organisations to come together first.
Kekhiye K Sema (IAS retd) put an honest discourse on the table. He maintained that the FNR needs to open its “doors and windows” for more detailed interactions with organisations as well as individuals, whose views could tackle current roadblocks.
He made clear that either all the Naga political groups should come together so that all Naga voices are appropriately represented in the peace talks, or that terms of negotiations of the peace process be made transparent to all Naga people as it is everyone’s right to know. Besides, Sema noted, even the Naga people will not accept any decision made on their behalf without being consulted first.
Dr. Wati Aier reiterated that “to remain in the past in the present is to be slaves” and thus the need for Naga nationalism to remain dynamic or else it will face dire consequences. The consultative meet strongly voiced that any Naga political group not willing to listen to the voice of the Naga people in ‘Taking Responsibility for Nation Building,’ shall be answerable to them. Other leaders from various regions across the Naga areas presented their views on the need for reconciliation in the Naga context today.