Explained: History of insurgency in Nagaland and the releasing of the confidential Naga Framework Agreement
After 5 years of signing the Naga Framework Agreement between the Narendra Modi government and the Isak-Muivah faction of NSCN or NSCN (IM), the latter released the contents of this confidential framework agreement on 16th August last.
While the Governor of Nagaland and the government interlocutor for the talks, RN Ravi had claimed that all-important agreements on the peace deal had been settled in October last and only a few minor issues remained, the NSCN (IM) broke its deal with the Centre on keeping the pact confidential.
What led to the releasing of the confidential Nagaland Framework Agreement?
RN Ravi’s role in the Nagaland peace process:
RN Ravi, the former Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA), retired as the Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in 2012. In 2014, he was appointed as the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee for three years by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ravi is the government’s interlocutor for the ongoing talks with the Naga insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) and has signed the Naga Framework Agreement on behalf of the government of India.
In July 2019, RN Ravi was appointed as the Governor of Nagaland.
The conflict of NSCN (IM) with RN Ravi:
a) NSCN has highlighted that RN Ravi had ‘manipulated’ the original agreement. According to the NSCN, Ravi handed out a different copy of the agreement to the Naga civil society groups while consulting, and the seven Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs).
b) NSCN (IM) has accused Ravi of deleting the word ‘new’ from the agreement which they claim to be crucial for the discussions. The removal of the word ‘new’ “virtually changed the meaning of a sentence in the Framework Agreement,” stated NSCN.
c) They have cited Ravi’s inability to recognise the existing blue, red and yellow Naga flag and a separate constitution given that Articles 370 and 35A have already been scrapped.
d) NSCN (IM) and the other stakeholders have been demanding a change of the interlocutor citing “trust deficit” with RN Ravi.
A brief history of the Nagalim independence conflict:
In 1881, the British administration consolidated their position over a large area of the Naga Hills and integrated the same into Assam as a separate district. However, Nagaland never willingly accepted itself as a part of Greater Assam.
The first sign of Naga resistance was seen in the formation of the ‘Naga Club’ in 1918. The demand had been for a Greater Nagaland, called ‘Nagalim’ covering Nagaland, its neighbouring states and even parts of Myanmar. Reportedly the Naga Club told the Simon Commission that the Nagas should be left alone "to determine for ourselves as in ancient times."
Naga nationalism:
On June 29, 1947, Assam Governor Sir Akbar Hyderi, signed a 9-point agreement with moderates T Sakhrie and Aliba Imti. The agreement allowed the Nagas to develop themselves “according to their freely expressed wishes” with the Governor of Assam taking special responsibility to ensure observance of the agreement for a period of 10 years. After the expiry of this period “the Naga Council will be asked whether they require the above agreement to be extended for a further period or a new agreement regarding the future of Naga people arrived at.”
This was immediately rejected by Angami Zapu Phizo, the leader of the Naga National Council (NNC). On August 14, 1947, Nagaland was declared as an independent state by the NNC. NNC conducted a ‘referendum’ in 1951 in which reportedly, 99 percent of the Nagamese people demanded for an independent state. The NNC resolved to establish a ‘sovereign Naga state.’
The Centre refused to accept the plebiscite. Pandit Nehru rejected the predominant Naga demand and kept Naga matters under the Ministry of External Affairs.
On March 22, 1952, Phizo thus formed the underground Naga Federal Government (NFG) and the Naga Federal Army (NFA).
The Indian government sought to crush them by sending in the army in Nagaland and enacting the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act (AFSPA) in 1958.
Nagaland - the current state and the journey towards Nagalim thereafter; The Peace Mission:
The current state of Nagaland was created on 1st December, 1963 as the 16th state of the Indian Union.
Meanwhile, in April that year, a Peace Mission was formed, comprising Jai Prakash Narain, Bimala Prasad Chaliha who was the chief minister of Assam and Rev. Michael Scott. The Mission signed an agreement with the NNC to suspend operations from September next.
It stated, “The Government of India welcomes the steps intended to bring about peace in Nagaland and with this object in view… they will depute representatives, with whom will be associated the representatives of the Government of Nagaland, to take part in talks with leaders of the underground.” But violence continued.
The Peace Mission was finally abandoned in 1967 because Scott openly sided with the rebels and the “government grew impatient with the mission’s ineffectiveness.” The government launched a counter-insurgency operation and the resulting insurgency has, over the course of decades, resulted in the killing of thousands of people, including civilians.
The Shillong Accord and the birth of NSCN:
In 1975, the separatist NNC gave up violence and signed the ‘Shillong Accord’ with the government of India. The agreement stated, “The representatives of the underground organisations conveyed their decision, of their own volition, to accept, without condition, the Constitution of India. It was agreed that the arms, now underground, would be brought out and deposited at appointed places. Details for giving effect to this agreement will be worked out between them and representatives of the Government, the security forces, and members of the Liaison Committee.”
However, some of the NNC leaders, including Isak Chishi Swu, Thuingaleng Muivah and SS Khaplang disapproved of this peace treaty and formed the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) as a new separatist organization in 1980. On 30th April 1988, the NSCN split into NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) after a violent clash. With Phizo’s death in 1991, NNC began to fade away, and the NSCN (IM) came to be seen as the main insurgent group in the region.
What has NSCN been demanding?
Over the decades, the various Naga insurgent groups continue to remain strong on their original demand – a “Greater Nagalim” comprising “all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas”, along with Nagaland. This includes several districts of Assam, Arunachal and Manipur, as also a large tract of Myanmar.
While the area of the present Nagaland state is 16,527 sq km, the map carved for Greater Nagalim comprises about 1,20,000 sq km. The Nagaland Assembly has also endorsed the cause — “Integration of all Naga-inhabited contiguous areas under one administrative umbrella” over and over again, from 1964 to as recently as on 2015.
Peace talks with the government:
On 12th June 1995, PV Narasimha Rao became the first Prime Minister to meet the NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chishi Swu, general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and others in Paris to propose a political dialogue to resolve the Naga crisis.
On 25th July 1997, the Isak-Muivah faction of NSCN or the NSCN (IM) signed a ceasefire agreement with the government of India, which came into effect on August 1, 1997. NSCN (IM) thus joined the ‘peace talks’ with the government.
Next, Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda met the leaders in Zurich on February 3, 1997. Over 80 rounds of talks had followed since then. However, none of the Prime Ministers managed to touch the Naga sentiment as did PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He created a ceasefire monitoring group in 2001.
On 28th October, 2003, Vajpayee visited Kohima. He recognised the “unique history and the situation of the Nagas”, winning the hearts of the Nagamese people. He said, “It is true that of all the states in India, Nagaland has a unique history. We are sensitive to this historical fact... But this uniqueness has in no way diminished the spirit of patriotism among the Naga people... Naga underground organisations did not fire on the Indian Army? They showed restraint.”
The Modi government walks the final stretch:
After 18 years, on August 3, 2015, the Narendra Modi government signed a framework agreement with the NSCN (IM) to resolve the Naga issue under its Look East Policy.
Thuingaleng Muivah, general secretary of NSCN-IM, signed the pact with RN Ravi, the government appointed interlocutor. The details of the agreement were kept confidential for security reasons.
In April 2017, ‘The Week’ magazine exclusively reported details of the secretive agreement. As per this report, the framework accord mentioned the following –
a) Permanent resident status for the Nagas, like in Jammu & Kashmir. Only permanent residents will have the right to vote and acquire land in Naga territory.
b) The exploration and exploitation of oil, natural gas, coal, minerals, forest and other natural resources will be in the state’s domain. Some subjects may shift from the concurrent list to the state list.
c) The union government will clarify about the deployment of its armed forces keeping in mind the fact that law and order is a state subject.
d) The union government will create an autonomous district council with financial autonomy on the lines of the Bodoland Territorial Council for the four hill districts of Manipur - Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel and Ukhrul. Whether it will be done under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution or a state act is yet to be discussed.
e) A Naga regional council will be set up, which would look after the religious, cultural, traditional and social interests of all Nagas. NSCN (IM) general secretary, T Muivah, may be made its chairman.
f) A separate flag for the council is under negotiation.
g) A formula for the rehabilitation and absorption of the 15,000-strong Naga army is under negotiation. Its soldiers will surrender their arms and may be inducted into newly-formed battalions of the Border Security Force and Rashtriya Rifles.
h) Whether the Nagas would be allowed to have a new nationality called “Indian Naga” in their passports is being explored.
