Charles Chasie
In the aftermath of the re-promulgation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, (revised at least twice later) this time on the whole of Nagaland State, probably as a fall-out of the attacks by the NSCN –K on the armed forces, many Nagas, and non-Nagas, have been writing and shouting against this draconian law. And they should. But we need to go a little beyond just shouting against what we don’t like. I am writing this at this time not just because it is topical but with a hope that we all can do a little more reflection so that the best emerges for everyone.
This undemocratic legislation was dusted up, formalized and brought back into operation in order to contain Naga Insurgency. And it has been despised by Nagas for as long as one can remember. Numerous Nagas, including innocent civilians, including women and children, have suffered and died sometimes for little or no reason under this hated law. But Nagas must accept the fact that had it not been for Irom Sharmila and neighbouring Meiteis, most Nagas had only been making token noises for several decades. A little more cohesive action was started at the time of the formation of the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) by Naga student leaders in Delhi in late 1970s and early 1980s — many of the stalwarts of the time are now college teachers and/or Government officers including some who have retired – but there was no real organized fight and later the fight became very low key.
Nagas must also know that the Nagaland Security Regulation Act, 1960, is even worse for Nagas than the AFSPA but hardly any Naga ever raises his/her voice against this despicable Act. It was under the NSRA that “concentration camps” were made possible and all rights of the individual were not only curbed but additional penal actions that were reminiscent of Colonial Rule were made possible. This law is also meant to be exercised by the civilian authority, as opposed to “army” or “armed forces” of the Indian Union. It was under this law that more Nagas suffered and died. True, it is not applied today. The point is, why should this draconian legislation continue to remain in the statute books?It is under these circumstances I have often written that these inhuman legislations are deep blots/blemishes on the otherwise ancient and great Indian civilisation. The late V S Naipaul had written about the “underdeveloped ego” of the Indian! I would not go so far although the caste system has created havoc on India and Indians and the lower rungs of the system have found very difficult to come up to even a mental state of equality with the upper castes while some upper castes strutted around as if they were God’s gift to their fellowmen! The bottom line is that Hindu India remained largely immersed in itself and stayed introverted.
In contrast the Chinese, the other ancient civilisation that could come close to Indian civilisation, called their country the Middle Kingdom, meaning that the rest of the world revolved round it! This, of course, is humbug. But the mental state of a nation very often decides whether it becomes successful or fails and how it progresses or slides backwards. As they say, the mind of a nation is in ruins before the nation is in ruins. In this case, I guess, what is meant is a deficient or inadequate state of mental health which could mean an inferiority complex or simple arrogance from a sense of false superiority. Neither is adequate.
At this time, with the massive BJP win in the last elections, and Narendra Modi at the helms, most Indians have started to have a sense of pride again! This factor had been missing among most Indians at least for several decades. Modi’s successes in his ventures abroad and the goodwill and investments he has been bringing in have only cemented the image of India and what Indians have been longing for. For the first time, in a long while, many Indians are feeling proud to be Indians again! What a difficult climb and what a great achievement. But the time is not to relax but to reach out further. The time is not to become proud and show how great or powerful you are and impose your wills on others but to become more humble and show statesmanship of the humble heart so that more blessings will flow in.
So, at this juncture, when India and Indians ought to be focussing on moving forward and playing the role that India is meant to play on the world stage, and with Naga Peace Talks in progress, why should the Government of India (GoI) distract itself by promulgating a self-defeating and hated legislation over entire Nagaland and shaming itself before the world as well as making all Nagas angry in the process? Government must know that although decades have passed and new generations are born every day, most Nagas who have had personal experiences of suffering and eye-witness to such sufferings under these legislations are still alive and instances like this gives opportunities for “stories” to be retold! On the other hand, this simply does not make sense except to perpetrate the long known fact that GoI only pays attention when you create trouble for it and/or you can show your ability to create trouble – and the more the better from the point of view of “trouble-makers”?! Such action can only benefit those who want to keep the trouble going on!
The other reason that makes no sense for continuing to use the AFSPA or other outdated draconian legislations, which are violative of not just international human rights rules but also the Constitution of India itself, in the Northeast region, not just Nagaland, is the Look East Policy which the present BJP Government has renamed as Act East Policy to give it more substance. As per this policy the North East is to become the launch pad of trade and commerce to South East and Far East Asia. Does it make sense to be telling these East Asian nations to come and do business in North East India which is a “disturbed area” and one which Government of India herself thinks is a dangerous place?! If India wants to be a great nation, and a world power, it cannot do so by making other nations look like fools! It may also be worthwhile remembering the saying that the goodwill and friendship of neighbours is the best defence of a nation! How much more important for the family/nation to be remain united?!
Sadly, most Indians, including some officials, seem to continue to remain prisoners of their “introverted” upbringing! Seemingly too, Kautilya/Chanakya, the Indian Mechiavelli, continues to remain the hero to emulate for a large, or at least a significant and/or powerful, segment of mainland Indians. His mantra of Aam, Daam, Danda, Bhed, is well-known. They don’t work in this day and age anymore although in the Naga case they seem to work due to group and tribal divisions. Even if they do, they bring in their wake irreparable damages to the victims certainly but also to the perpetrator/s. You cannot really do massive damage and evil to someone and remain unaffected. What has happened to Dharam? What about Asoka? What about Mahavira and Gautama Buddha? What about Gandhi? The personalities were reaching out to the world and winning it as well – the work of Buddhism in China is an easy example. What is happening now is certainly not worthy of a civilization that boasts of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro or even Nalanda and Takshashila – I am a little loathe to mention the latter because it also produced Kautilya/Chanakya but he is one person (a bad apple?!). India must remember that spirituality is her greatest strength.
Religion and spirituality are two different things and, sometimes, completely separate although they also complement each other very well because they naturally exist, and thrive, in the same environs. But, sometimes, religion can become the biggest enemy of spirituality! This is often created by religious leaders whose personal ambitions, or other motivations, could over-ride their own sense of what is right, human as we all are. Kautilya/Chanakya’s own life, prompted by his animosity against the Nanda dynasty, is a potent example in this case. GoI, and its agencies, have been practicing the last three tenets of Kautilya’s mantra all these years but have not managed to settle the Issue. What about the first tenet, practised sincerely and with right motives, and about winning hearts and minds of the people? Would this not be better and more lasting?
I think it is inevitable that Nagas will be part of the Union of India. And, may be, it will be in their best interest too. This does not mean that Nagas had no rights. GoI too must respect the history of the Naga people which it started doing, to some extent, during the Vajpayee Government when it recognized the unique history of the Nagas. But there is need for deeper reflection so that India can live up to its greatest potential.
From Naga National Political perspective and the Naga Political Groups (NPGs), the recognition of Nagas’ unique history from Vajpayee’s BJP Government can be said to be an achievement of the NSCN-IM. If so, what did they do with this achievement? Instead of becoming humble and reaching out to all other groups and to the Naga people, because the Naga people are their hands and legs, they became proud and decided that they will have no truck with the other groups unless the other groups came forward and joined the NSCN-IM – a complete surrender from the point of view of the other groups. Threats and intimidations to the public also became every day affairs. The result was that opportunities for real understanding among the NPGs and with neighbours were squandered and the Naga Issue is still waiting to be settled.
Late as it is, will the NSCN-IM dare to invite all the other Naga Political Groups (NPGs) to join hands and sit across the table as equals and work out what will be best for the Naga people? Such a move will give the NSCN-IM moral authority if done without ulterior motives and self-promotion desires. Certainly, such a move will have the support of the vast majority of the Naga people and those other groups who do not respond will begin to decline in the eyes of the Nagas and naturally support to them would reduce. The question is whether the NSCN-IM leadership will dare to do such a thing honestly. Due to suspicion and working with people who have less than adequate understanding of the regional dynamics, things have become more difficult than it was at one time. But we cannot end the story there. We all have to think about the Naga people and their future.
Back to the Indo-Naga front, without mutual respect for each other’s history and present practicalities, no solution can be arrived at that will be whole-heartedly embraced by all. Naga people may be small and hopelessly divided. They can always be made to divide and even fight and kill one another – perhaps, for a very long time unless Nagas themselves are willing to change their attitudes. The point is, “Is the Government of India willing to carry the Naga Thorn in its side for a long time to come?” Coming as it does from a Naga like me, most “Indians” may take this with a pinch of salt, may be a big one?! But a people’s collective sentiments should not be underestimated on the strength of present possibilities.
Naga Insurgency has lasted because the Nagas believed they have a right. The Naga National Movement, with all its weaknesses, could not be termed as “secessionist” by Government of India unlike the other movements in the region – How can you say someone is breaking away from you if that someone has never joined you? Remember August 14, 1947 when Nagas declared their independence? This is the main reason why the Naga Issue has remained till today despite the Nagas often destroying themselves, and hurting others, like a headless chicken!
I do love my people and respect their will and ability to fight. But this fight must be for what is right for all the Naga people as well as what is right for everyone else including the rest of India. I have already written in my book “The Naga Imbroglio” that nationalism has become too small in today’s world. I continue to hold that view. But rights which are universal, prima facie, ought to be respected by all for everyone’s good.
I also hold the view that while we must love our own people we should not hate others. Hate begets hate and it serves no one and has no useful purpose. The evil you do to others always comes back to you! We may dislike the actions of people but we must understand that all of us are people and fallible – “wretched beings” as my late friend, R M Lala, former executive director of Sir Dorabjee Tata Trust and best-selling author, would say!
Now why should Government of India and the Naga people want to settle the Naga Political Issue once and for all?
(i) Naga people will become finally find some peace, to the extent possible, about where they belong! Otherwise they have a chance of always suffering what an Assamese friend called “dual personality” – Nagas claiming their Naganess but being compelled to be “Indians”! From this position, the immense Naga talents and potentials cannot be released but remain pent up! This pent up feeling will remain simmering and creating problems for everyone and themselves most of all.
(ii) With settlement of the Naga Political Problem, there is every possibility that the insurgency in the Northeastern region may subside. There was a piece in the media, sometime ago, by a Guwahati-based journalist in a national daily, that there were some elements in the Home Ministry and Defence Forces who wanted the insurgency in the region to continue and that these elements did not even want the present BJP Government’s proposition to largely withdraw the armed forces and let the States Police handle most of the problems. The argument was that once the Naga Issue was solved the other insurgent movements in NE cannot be sustained and these elements within GoI wanted the trouble to continue. This was how the abrogation of the ceasefire agreement with the NSCN-K was provoked through a motivated advance leak that GoI may not renew the ceasefire and to which the NSCN-K responded by abrogating the ceasefire unilaterally. I do not know how true this report is but I am inclined to agree that without the Naga Issue the others (insurgencies) may peter out as they may have no “leg” to stand on! But this is up to the Government of India.
(iii) Side by side, GoI of India must have a vision for peoples of the North East on how they may play a beneficial role for India and in the life of India. For example, what roles can the Mongoloid and Christian communities of NE play to reach out to Mongoloid East and Christian West? Wouldn’t it be interesting to explore the possibilities?
(iv) In line with what has been said above, once the problems in NE have been settled, the Government of India will be in a position to focus its attention to more and bigger issues. GoI must not allow narrow vested interests from any quarter to divert its attention from its main objectives of India’s true destiny and the role India is meant to play to bring the world together.
From Government of India’s point of view, India’s soul should not be bartered away through false pride. In the past there had been several Indian army GOCs who had come to Kohima and arrogantly declared they would “solve” the issue within a certain period, even months! They all went back and all of them have, as far as I know, retired now and some passed on, but the Issue remains. Right and Wrong somehow do not disappear despite efforts to destroy them. This is a lesson from history and not a self-serving philosophy dredged up for short term gain. We may come and go but our people will go on. It is up to us what we want to leave behind when we go.
Everyone has free choice and no one has real authority to over-ride individual choice whether it leads to personal/collective damnation or salvation. True friendship is always better than trying to prove what a powerful enemy/adversary you can be. If you win hearts and minds, you win the War or else any “win” will remain at the level of “battle” however significant.
But I leave it to you who will be kind to read this to judge for yourselves and for the future to tell.
