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01/04/2006: "NISC Press release:Truce hanging by a thread?"

Naga International Support Center, NISC
www.nagalim.nl
A human rights organization

Press Release

Amsterdam January 4 2006

Truce hanging by a thread?

In the long aftermath of decolonization with first of all the British being inconclusive about Nagaland to be part of India, now after more than eight years of cease fire, meant to enable talks of peace between the Government of India and the Government of Nagaland to arrive at an honorable solution, a deadlock has put the cease fire and peace talks at jeopardy.

Deadlock Indo-Naga Peace talks

What has caused the two parties, who both repeatedly stated that the talks were amicable and positive, to come at loggerheads with each other?

The root of this collision dates back to the implicit vision of the Indian Government, the vision without policy to forcibly make Nagaland part of India.(See our press release on Jawarhlal Nehru) The lack of a coherent policy resulted in stalling for time and made the Nagas responsible for coming up with proposals for a solution that will accommodate India. Though the talks have been conducive the unwritten policy of embracing the constitution of India of India hangs as a sword of Damocles above the talks. Consequently the lack of a consistent policy has led to unresponsive decision-making. In turn lack of decision making has led to the fear of being held accountable by the hawks in the Indian Society.
The talks are held in secret. They are not transparent and consequently no one else, but the negotiators, knows what is talked about. No press is informed; only cordial but meaningless statements were issued.
Has nothing been achieved then? Three years ago, on their request, the Naga Government sent a clear-cut proposal to the Indian Government. The content of this proposal was meant to launch a basis upon which the talks would progress.
Yes something has been achieved; the one meaningful statement was a communiqué in which the Government of India recognized the uniqueness of Naga History.
For the Nagas this recognition was a prerequisite for continuing the talks and so the government of India acknowledged that the Nagas had never been part of India and had never been conquered, not by consent nor conquest. Yet, India did not then arrive at the decision that Nagaland thus was not part of India. This is in contrast to what Mahatma Gandhi and later Nehru, the first Prime Minister of the Union of India, had fully acknowledged. In recognizing the unique history of Nagaland, the Government of India acknowledges the right to self-determination of the Naga peoples. However, for nearly sixty years now, India has denied the Nagas their right to live together and to govern themselves. Due to the lack of direction of the Indian Government based upon the different voices within political parties, hardliners strongly opposing solution seekers, the talks were continuously disrupted by backtracking of the Indian government. This latest backtracking now is the cause of the deadlock between the Government of India and The Government of Nagaland.
In the long history of this conflict the question of who is unreasonable now rises:
Is Great Britain unreasonable?
Knowing fully well the aspirations of the Nagas to be left alone, to be independent, the Simon Commission 1929 par example, Great Britain, after their departure form the Indian sub-continent, abandoned the Nagas. But did Great Britain actually hand the Nagas over to India?

The Naga International Support Center calls on the British Government
- To, as the original accountable power, conclusively take post-colonial responsibility,
- To correct what has been left undone.

Is the United Nations unreasonable?
By a telegram to the United Nations the Nagas declared independence one day ahead of India. Though the United Nations acknowledged the reception of that declaration it did not act on it.

The Naga international Support Center calls on the United Nations, as the body of the international community
-To intervene in this long standing conflict on the basis of the right to self determination.

Is the Indian Government, for having an accountable policy on the Indo-Naga conflict, unreasonable?
After invading Nagaland and unleashing a devastating war of conquest and subjugation on the Naga Hills which took the lives of hundreds of thousands, Nagas and Indians alike, India finds it difficult to come to an amicable and honoroble solution

The Naga International Support Center calls on the Indian Government:
- To show its humane face and thus on the basis of humanitarian reasons alone to demobilize its troops, to withdraw them from the occupied Naga territories.
- To respect the right to self determination and the human rights of the Naga Peoples.
- To, on behalf of the democratic Indian populace, design an accountable policy to end the Indo-Naga conflict.

Are the Nagas unreasonable?
The Nagas do not attack India. The Nagas only defend their homeland, which without being consulted was arbitrarily divided. The cease fire abrogation just means that talking for eight years without a sense of direction to find common ground is tantamount to being dictated to become part of India. Nagaland is divided and occupied. The end of the cease fire would mean that India would resume its war of subjugation and the Nagas would resume fighting for their right to self determination. In that case the deadlock continues:

The Naga International Support Center calls on The Naga Government:
- To, in the wake of the mounting pressure to remain subdued, to do all in its power to restrain itself
- To keep the cease-fire going so talks for peace will remain possible and bloodshed will be averted.

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Or get in touch through email: nisc@nagalim.nl