Indo-Naga Peace Talks: The Issues at Stake

In any Indo Naga peace talks, in terms of geographical and population sizes, a giant is talking with a dwarf. But in terms of historical and political truths, two equals are talking to one another. Here two political entities with equal legal rights are addressing one another. Nagas on their part have their own political history and geography which existed from time immemorial. Within that compact history and geography, they had been politically running their own affairs with their own customary laws, educational systems (Morungs), culture and its multifarious functions and applications. India too had her own history, geography and systems. Every Naga and Indian therefore should know that in any peace talks for resolution of the Indo Naga conflict; two distinct and separate entities are talking to one another. Here nobody should be misled into thinking that a Primary power is talking to a subsidiary power and therefore should abide by the Primary power’s dictates. In the post European colonial era, attempts have been made to re-draw the maps of both South Asia as well as South East Asia. But every educated person should know that the European colonial period was, but a passing interlude in mankind’s turbulent history. Also, other colonial periods had taken place before the European colonial period. Notable among them were the colonial periods undertaken by the Assyrian, Medo-Persian, Greece, Roman, Mongolian and Hun empires etc. And as all these colonial eras were but passing interludes in human history, no present governments can redraw international maps based on any of these past colonial periods. Here, in the context of India and Nagaland, how can a Caucasian nation like Britain from across the seas be made to re-draw Nagaland and Indian territorial maps? Such an attempt would be, but a preposterous proposition which can never withstand the challenge of history and international law. Let every Naga therefore take note that he or she has absolutely no legal or political obligation to submit their God given and ancestrally defended territories to India or any of its so called North Eastern states. In conclusion, Europe is a continent as well as a compact land mass. But within that compact land mass, German territories are not French territories nor are Norwegian territories Swedish territories. These facts are true both at the NATO as well as EU levels. Similarly, both Nagaland and India are within the compact land mass of South East Asia. But here again, Naga territories are not Indian Territory neither are Burmese territory, Chinese territories. As for Nagas, we know our distinct territories as passed down to us by our ancestors through our Morung educational institutions. Kaka D Iralu