Naga groups flay profiling of government employees

Dimapur, July 21 (EMN): Naga political groups engaged in negotiations with New Delhi have termed the Nagaland government’s order entailing all state employees to declare their relations, if any, with those serving in Naga groups as “insulting, despicable, unprecedented and ominous”.

The NSCN (IM) and the working committee of NNPG issued separate statements on Tuesday expressing their resentment over the July 7 order issued by the chief secretary of Nagaland.

“...this is considered to be one retrograde step worked out insidiously to cripple the Naga political movement and forcefully bring the Naga political issue under the purview of ‘law and order’ issue. Insulting and demeaning as it is, NSCN denounce the directives, which is nothing but desperate attempt to browbeat Naga freedom fighters into submission,” read the NSCN (IM) statement.

It stated that ‘Nagas, and NSCN for that matter’, will not allow Governor RN Ravi, who is also the government of India’s interlocutor to India-Naga talks, to “diminish the Naga political issue as mere law and order problem”.

“The very word ‘underground groups’ is a misnomer and recklessly used without taking into consideration the literal meaning. Underground groups are outlawed organisations. But in Naga context, there are no outlawed organisations operating in Nagaland.

“If Nagaland Governor Mr. RN Ravi has taken NSCN to be underground organisation, how come he signed the historic framework agreement with NSCN general secretary Mr. Th Muivah as his co-author, guided and supervised by the prime minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi in the presence of high dignitaries from India and NSCN. Certainly, Ravi has reduced the most revered Prime Minister of India Mr. Modi and top leaders of the GoI to a mere laughing stock,” read the statement.

The NSCN (IM) maintained that profiling of Naga employees would amount to undermining the Naga political issue. It will also amount to ‘sell out’, if Nagaland government is in collusion with Ravi, it added.

“It would be in the fitness of things to tell the Nagaland state administration that it should not be carried away by such unpalatable policy that is targeted to suppress the Naga issue at this belated juncture. The blood of being Nagas should not be sacrificed at the altar of political suppression as played out by the government of India which has gone all the way to renege on the framework agreement,” it stated.

According to the NSCN (IM), the framework agreement reflects the spirit of mutual respect and peaceful co-existence.

“It is, however, seen that Indo-Naga political talks, after overcoming all the hurdles is heading to become another political flattery. History of political flattery is showing its ugly face. But Naga people will take the stand not to be cowed down by such bigoted policy,” it stated.

Meanwhile, the working committee of NNPG pointed out that over the years, thousands of blood relatives of Naga national workers have held government jobs. “Although meshed in Indian fabric, their loyalty and blood always belonged to Nagaland. It was never a blood allegiance to India.”

“Today there are thousands of Nagas who hold distinguished responsibilities in India and abroad as diplomats, scientists, peacekeepers, administrators, police and military officers, having cleared prestigious Indian competitive exams like IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, IMA, CDS, NPSC etc., by dint of faith, hard work, efficiency and perseverance in their respective fields. There is no denying each of these efficient men and women have blood relations in the Naga cause. The state government’s order is a slap on the face of every elite servant,” its statement read.

It went on to liken the profiling of Nagaland state employees to that of Jews during World War II.

“WC, NNPG asserts that as per the order of the Nagaland chief secretary, the first form must be filled up by Nagaland state cabinet, legislators and all heads of departments since all comes under the purview of the same order. The truth is 98% employees have political, emotional, spiritual affinity and blood connection with the cause,” it asserted.

According to the working committee, an Indo-Naga political settlement that is enduring, inclusive, peaceful, with due regard to contemporary political realities, is what the GOI and WC, NNPG have worked upon.

“By this, GOI will accommodate Nagas politically giving sufficient space for Nagas to exercise our sovereign rights over land and resources, cultural identity, acknowledging political and historical right, safeguarded and entrenched through constitutional mechanism. The same rights and privileges will be extended to Naga inhabited area and our people in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh through Regional Territorial Councils in while an administrative arrangement with a degree of autonomy for Nagas in Assam has been agreed on, without altering any state boundary.

“The status paper has been shared with the state government, tribal hohos, GBs, civil societies and Nagas at large. Incredibly, the state government has issued order to identify Naga national workers through their relatives serving the state government. It is not a necessary step. Perhaps the impending Indo-Naga political settlement could terrify many into making such critical errors,” read the statement. It maintained that those in power must understand that the chairs on which they seat today are sourced from Naga freedom struggle. “The pillars of Nagaland state rests on the sacrifices of thousand lives. Today the Naga sentiment and pride is hurt to the core.”