[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hese are the very last days of 2013 and instead of ending on a high note that will see us through a New Year, the journey is ending for people in Nagaland on a rocky and rough ride,much like the existing roads in the state, one might add. The events unfolding in Zunheboto are quickly overtaking the unprecedented and pre meditated attack on the Rengma Nagas by suspected Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers (KPLT) in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. While the violence in Assam could and should have been pre empted by the government of Assam who were well apprised of the buildup of the situation emerging in the Rengma areas , the situation in Zunheboto is the culmination of years of pent up ire and frustration of a public increasingly disenchanted with organizations spearheading the Naga political future. At times like this violence and violent ways speaks louder than any other way.But it is times like these which also show the true character of men, of a society. It calls us to draw wisdom from the deepest depth of our souls and not react in anger or in emotion. Man is a rational being and he must think rationally especially when he can see clearly that the capability to reason is a missing element within the other camp. Our history has taught us that violence has begot us violence. The public anger in Zunheboto against the NSCN(IM) is unprecedented. Many will support the right for the public to feel this way after the lengthy hours of negotiations with the NSCN (IM) to release the accused cadres and the ending of the deadline to hand them over. But despite the heightened tone of anger, the desire for confrontation, a space for dialogue must see the light of day to end once and for all such brazen and brutal use of ‘space’ that has been allowed by us, the Naga public to the ‘brothers in arms’ for the larger Naga political goal.
The turn of events must also serve as a wake up call for the NSCN(IM) leadership that they are not a breed apart.The handling of the December 21 incident where a two women passengers including a lady missionary and male passengers were physically abused touched a raw nerve. Instead of understanding the situation and the sentiments of the public the mere ‘demotion’ of the cadres was not a decision that the public was going to be satisfied with, clearly because such measures within the organization don’t act as deterrents in the discipline of the cadres. The state government too has clearly never faced such an uprising before . But in retrospect the writings for such a standoff was already on the walls, with the emergence of the movement against illegal taxation a few months ago.
Those in governance will also recall that the public had voiced the need for the government machinery to arrests those underground cadres involved in fratricidal killings. But the on going ceasefire with the government of India prevented such arrests. What will now become of the status of the ceasefire when clearly the standoff in Zunheboto has revealed the deep cracks in the seventeen year long ceasefire.
