Rejoinder to Patricia Mukhim
It is rather surprising to note that a noted media personality like Patricia Mukhim will have the temerity to go hyper and not choosing to go moderate when she even failed to touch on the core of the issue that the right thinking people across the country is talking about. But if the past records is of any indication the writing of Patricia against the Nagas, particularly against the NSCN is not too surprising. It only goes to confirm the person she is and what she was. NSCN would like to go on record that the recent writing of Patricia in the Northeast column of The Telegraph in “Northeast Echoes” is too unpalatable.
Notwithstanding the fact that Patricia is obsessed with going critical of anything NSCN this time round she should have exercise moderation by touching on the human laws that frame the international laws.But she seems to have been totally carried away under the influence of some agencies that she closely associated with.
It is more than 13 years running ever since the Indo-Naga ceasefire was signed between the government of India and NSCN.Whatever be the literal meaning of ‘ceasefire’ and ‘sovereignty’ as argued by Patricia she should have taken things from proper historical perspective. The realization of the futility of going for military solution for the Naga problem emanated from the then Commander-in-chief of Indian Army Gen. S.Choudhury. The message instantly picked up the government of India, and the ongoing Indo-Naga political talks is all about maturity shown by govt. of India and NSCN.
In spite of the fact that the NSCN had expressed its displeasure over the slow progress of Indo-Naga political talks the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh has given his commitment that way must be explored for a peaceful negotiated settlement that is honorable and acceptable to both. NSCN believes that government of India will stand by its commitment.
The proposed program of NSCN General Secretary Th.Muivah going to his native village was arranged and approved in New Delhi.But when the Manipur state government and the Meiteis raised hue and cry, and even going to the extent of creating war-like situation at Mao Gate to block Muivah from crossing the artificial boundary it became an emotive issue for all the Nagas. When the Manipur commandos gunned down two young students and injured scores of women and men when the Naga women were protesting in a peaceful democratic manner the Nagas as a whole driven to the point of no return to assert their rights against the terrorist government government of Manipur.This is the turning point for the Nagas and they are not on the wrong side.
The Manipur state government and the Meiteis blockade against Muivah is coming into direct confrontation with the international law and human right. The government of India is answerable for any such violation.
NSCN is a people’s based organization and mandated by the Naga people to carry forward the Naga problem before the government of India. With its historical and political rights clearly defined it also runs a government system called Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim(GPRN). NSCN dared to legitimately collect taxes from the people and from all commercial transactions and business establishments. Except in the hands of black sheeps and anti-social elements ‘extortion’ is not applicable to NSCN.
The political aspirations of the Naga people is something uniquely placed. The fact that the government of India recognised the unique history of the Nagas and its situation speaks volumes of Naga’s rights.
The immaturity of Patricia is also revealing in more than one way. The way she tried to handle ‘aspirations’ is anti-thesis of people’s interests. She was off the track in touching how people of the northeast region should approach to meet their aspirations. In the case of Nagas thousands of lives had been sacrificed and property worth crores of rupees been destroyed by the Indian Armed Forces. But the Nagas stood the ground, even to earn admiration from the enemies who wanted to destroy the Naga issue.
NSCN will not question the legitimacy of other organizations mentioned by Patricia. The government of India should know better and the people of the respective organizations should testify this before the government of India. It is needless to compare NSCN General Secretary Th.Muivah with the like of Arabinda Rajkhowa,Paresh Barua or Ranjan Daimary. The moot point is how far these revolutionary leaders handles the aspirations of the people they claimed to represent and how people responded. This is what matters the most in the people’s revolutionary movement.
Patricia’s deep rooted grudge against NSCN and her desperateness to saw seed of animosity among the NSCN leaders only goes to expose under whose influence she is working as a journalist for all these past years. This is typical of the handiwork of Indian intelligence agencies. On the Mao Gate incident NSCN Chairman had expressed his strong views against the brutality of Manipur state government resorting to terror tactics to suppress the Naga women who were protesting in a peaceful democratic manner. But it is none of the business of Patricia to poke her nose into affairs of the Nagas or any other struggling peoples in the region.
We don’t see any wisdom of her overreaction to the peace initiative between the Government of India and the Nagas represented by the NSCNthat was initiated at the highest level, without precondition and at a third country. The political dialogue will hopefully conclude with conflict transformation that will have positive ramification in the region.
Issued by:
MIP/GPRN