“The Nagas have proposed for a federal structure and a federal relationship. A new dimension has to come up where it makes Nagas a part of India and India a part of Nagaland. Where both become inseparable sovereign instead of being a one Nation State and quarrel over it,” said Keviletus Kiewhuo, President Naga Hoho.

“Even in foreign affairs-ok, primarily you run the affairs but then whenever there is an issue affecting the Nagas, there the Nagas must represent themselves,” Atem said. He added, “We don’t hesitate to tell Indian leaders. Yes. We have confidence in the Indian currency.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman Ceasefire Cell NSCN (IM), Brigadier Phungthing said categorically that they want their separate Army. “Our leadership has made it very specifically clear that there will be a Naga Army because the people of Naga land are the right people to defend their land,” Phunthing said. The NSCN (IM) peace recipe is:

• India and Nagaland will remain inseparable entities
• A special constitution-al arrangement will cement this federal arrangement
• The Nagas will manage their own law and order, and local economy
• While Foreign Affairs, Currency, Banking and Defense will remain with India

The startling disclosures to CNN IBN Special Investigation Team by NSCN (IM) leadership also have a clear enunciation of their understanding of India’s National Security concerns. The Naga insurgency’s military links with China and Pakistan in the past, and with the US Christian missionary agencies for funding have always aroused suspicion in India, which the Nagas are now keen to set right.

India has a genuine fear, concern because Naga country is strategic from a military point of view. So we should not play any kind of thing that is detrimental, therefore, we proposed for a joint defense.

For the Naga civil society the core of a final peace settlement is also the recognition of their traditional form of governance thro-ugh the Naga Ho Ho, an assembly of Naga tribal leaders. “We have a purest form of democracy where we find the best leader thro-ugh consensus. Every clan elects its own representative according to its choice and sends it to the village council. So this system comes upto the tribal level today,” said Keviletus Kiewhuo, president of Naga Hoho.

But the Khaplang faction of the NSCN, the NSCN (K), opposes the peace talks and so is expected to oppose NSCN (IM)’s dramatic revelation of its peace proposal. The NSCN-K, largely based in the Sagaing Division, Myanmar is involved in a fratricidal war with NSCN (IM). In the last four years, clashes between the two factions have claimed 200 lives. “We have had no kind of struggle with them. Why this thing has happened is because the GOI’s way of looking at the Naga issue, trying to use them, thinking that by using them they would utilize us or weaken us,” Brigadier Phunthing said. But NSCN (IM) new proposal is not only dramatic and radical, but will also generate hope in Nagaland where the conflict that has gone over 50 years and may finally see some kind of an amicable settlement. In that sense a new dawn is breaking over Nagaland and if the Nagas get behind this proposal it will be difficult for NSCN-K faction to counter it with any kind of intimidation.

However, the NSCN (IM) has not given up its demand for a Greater Naga-land and this may be the spoiler in the long run in its negotiations with the GOI, unless some creative political will on both sides break the logjam. The NSCN (IM) wants integration of Naga speaking areas in Manipur to be integrated to what it calls a ‘Greater Nagaland’. This demand has Manipur a tinderbox of ethnic wars, which might spill over into a violent civil war. How all the intricacies of assertive ethnic identities will eventually play out continues to be a guessing game. But at this point in time the focus is firmly centered on NSCN (IM’s) proposal for a new federal arrangement with India. Perhaps, this will give both sides enough negotiating space to settle the issue of ‘Greater Nagaland’ amicably. So while the Nagas talk of a federal government, the question is - is the Government of India prepared to examine the idea of federalism in an imaginative and contemporary manner? If not, then the hidden wars in Nagaland may never end.

Proposals of the NSCN (IM)

* India and Nagaland will remain inseparable entities
*A special Constitutional arrangement will cement this federal arrangement
*The Nagas will manage their own law and order, and local economy
*While Foreign Affairs, Currency, Banking and Defense will remain with India

*** The writer is the Editor Special Investigations, CNN IBN

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)