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PEACE INTO PIECES : WHAT GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO DO

That time the preparation was more comprehensive—and at least it had the blessings of ULFA chairman Aurobindo Rajkhowa although the Commander in chief finally prevailed over. Since then, the Government was successful in dividing the organization horizontally but question arises at what cost? The society and the Government had to pay a heavy price in terms of criminalizing and weaponising the society ---as SULFA had become law unto themselves.

The division of organizations were also attempted in Nagaland. Indian State in its quest for gaining ground in Nagaland could bring a sizeable number of under ground rebels to the signing of an accord, which is known as the Shillong Accord of 1975. The Shillong Accord was rejected by Phizo and it created divisions within the Naga National Council ( NNC). Two leaders of the NNC Thuengaling Muivah and Isak Sui felt that the NNC ‘isolated itself from the people’ Thus to save people from the ‘process of domination, exploitation and assimilation’ the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) was formed. During this period Khaplang , a Hemi Konyak Naga of Burma was the president of rebel Federal Government. Both Muivah and Swu were able to win over khaplang. A new Government of the peoples Republic of Nagaland with Isak Swu as the president, Khaplang as the Vice-Chairman and Muivah as the general secretary was declared elected. It declares its objectives as follows: (i) the unquestionable sovereign rights of the Naga people over every inch of Nagaland. (ii) Dictatorship of the people through the NSCN and the practice of Democracy…as long as it is deemed necessary. (iii) The faith in God and salvation of mankind in Jesus Christ, that is, Nagaland for Christ. (iv) Rules out saving Nagaland through peaceful means.

The argument that we are trying to make is –peace always looks more sustaining and lasting when it has the blessings of the whole organizations—particularly its leaderships. In both the occasions mentioned above ( also applicable in case of DHD-Garlosa) –the Governments could attain partial peace temporarily but very soon the left out parent wings or the new outfits created out of the old debris had become more dangerous –and hit back government with vengeance. ULFA became more dangerous after 1991 and the division by Hiteswar Saikia could hardly weaken the organization. The Naga struggle became more intensive after the formation of NSCN its division later on notwithstanding! It has become communal as they have now avowedly become Christian replacing a secular NNC. The DHD Garlosa or the Black widow is a more dangerous wing now.

Factional peace process will usher a perpetual fratricidal war which is relatively absent in Assam except those killing at the behest of SULFA. In Nagaland –in last two months more than forty Nagas have laid lives at such killings among NSCN—I-M, Khaplnag and new faction called NSCN (Unification). The Bodos are killing themselves. And now the cadres of ULFA will kill themselves—in other words more Assamese will be killed making the task easier for the Security experts.

On top of all in the post –factional peace process -the organizations become more integrated into global terrorist network and this time the terrorist strike in Assam could witness more fatalistic strike as the frustrated leaders would possibly engage mercenaries and radical fundamentalist who would be willing to kill and get killed for martyrdom. At this stage insurgency no longer remains a dependent variable ----it becomes an independent variable. It finds its own logic, clientele. Establishment of peace with the insurgent groups must involve the top leaders as such organizations are more leader-centric.

Three things are required to tackle insurgency—political strategy, policy and policing. Unfortunately it is the policing that have been attempting the peace process in Assam---bypassing both political strategy and policy. The political leaders must understand that ‘a heart and mind approach’ always work better than the impersonal ‘Sam, Dam, Danda, Bhed approach’. Here we must learn from Indira Gandhi who took all the initiative to settle the Mizo insurgency since 1975. If we plan to settle insurgency by strict norms (like –no third party mediation, surrender first, confining cadres to the camp and must accept Indian constitution first— kind of conditionalities)–Peace (which we unfortunately understand as the absence of violence) would never come. Such tactics were/are not in operation with Kashmir, Mizo, Naga or Bodo peace process.

We can’t resolve insurgency by a typical Weberian legal rational framework ------we may curse insurgents as the fundamentalist, alienated , frustrated lot but ultimately it’s through persuasion, concession, reward, Dialogue and political will that can resolve it. A clarion call to both ULFA and the Indian State ---Why not adopt the formula that we have been adopting with Mizos, Nagas and the Kashmiris—i.e.—

1st—Create an atmosphere like--release the leaders (In any case Government has to release them sooner or later—a few are already in bail),
2nd, let GOI declare its emissary (like Mr Padmanabhaiya with the Nagas and Mr Vohra with the Kashmiris) ,

3rd –Let ULFA contact the emissary (ULFA this time must respond). The process at least will begin—whether one accepts Indian sovereignty or not are all meaningless at this level---let us be in table ---rest will follow. This will work