Nirendra Dev, New Delhi
Z Lohe, former Speaker of Nagaland assembly did some candid talk at the ex-Parliamentarians Association meet in Dimapur on March 14. Hence, the ‘Cry for Peace’ transformed into neo-clamour for Early Solution. As a result the ball is now the Centre’s court for preparing a ‘Common Draft’ without further delay to ensure final peace pact.
Z Lohe, former Assembly Speaker, says – “No Naga tribe is a landless community …. no one within Nagaland state or outside needs extra ordinary pampering”.
The reference is obvious and Nagas in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur understand the message clearly.
An underappreciated consequence of Naga politics is that it is high time to give up guns and all demerits associated with them.
Season of Candid talks:
· Need for Early Solution and ‘quick’ signing of the Final Peace pact
· Govt. of India needs to prepare a Common Draft based on Agreed Position and Framework Agreement
· 2025 should be designated as the Year for Solution to Naga issue.
“No Naga tribe worth salt needs to be pampered”
The meeting of ex-Parliamentarians Association of Nagaland (exPAN) certainly touched upon some path-breaking and vital issues.
According to sources, at one point of time during deliberations Zhovehu Lohe, former Speaker, said – “Each Naga tribe has land and enough political acumen and ability to look after themselves…
No community is a landless tribe either within the state of Nagaland or outside….. hence no community needs any extra ordinary pampering”.
Sources suggest the former Speaker (a former MLA from Chizami assembly segment in Phek district of Nagaland) maintained that – if we have pampered anybody, we have been wrong.
Again the reference is obvious.
He made his intervention after a former Lok Sabha MP tried to refer to the issue of what will happen to the Nagas “outside Nagaland state” if a solution is arrived at keeping the state of Nagaland as a chief stakeholder.
Lohe countered the argument and allaying the apprehension reportedly said – “No one will be left in the lurch or on their fate…. Nagas of Nagaland will get the same treatment as Nagas outside Nagaland state.
Their welfare will also be catered to and moreover Nagas outside Nagaland are capable enough with resilience to look after their own welfare”.
The statement from Lohe is a big booster and first stage of moral victory for the Govt of India which has conveyed clearly that the Naga integration is not a feasible demand.
Nagas reside in the present day state of Nagaland and parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
The Centre during the parleys with the Naga rebels that commenced in 1997 and also later repeatedly made it clear that the Naga Solution will not include any separate Naga flag and Constitution.
Such demands were made by NSCN-IM but the NNPG favours early signing of the peace pact.
In fact, Home Minister Amit Shah told a delegation of Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio and other ministers in November 2024 that the Govt of India has already conveyed to Naga rebels NNPG and NSCN-IM on what all can be accommodated as part of the Solution pact.
During the meeting, the delegation reportedly mooted the idea of a new negotiator and responding to this Amit Shah said – “do not blame negotiators … do not blame R N Ravi or A K Mishra.
Negotiators or interlocutors talk only on behalf of the Govt of India”.
NaMo needs to deliver ‘Political Solution’ to Nagas
Lately the centre has also intensified efforts to bring an early Solution to the Naga issue.
The developments in Manipur and imposition of President’s Rule by making a BJP chief minister N Biren Singh step aside is enough indication of the centre’s crystal clear intent.
The BJP is in power in Nagaland sharing power with NDPP and the regional party leader Rio is the chief minister.
Gradually, the focus has shifted to March 20th – the proposed date for a consultative meeting of Naga tribal bodies and other organisations. The centre and especially Home Minister Amit Shah believed that keeping a regional party chief minister (Neiphiu Rio) would have expedited the peace talks process.
But lately, probably the centre is also presumably convinced that such a formula did not yield expected outcome.
(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is also author of the books ‘The Talking Guns: North East India’, and ‘Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth’. Views expressed are personal)