SC Jamir also pointed out that the Nagas are rearing three animals which according to him are an ape, which is primitive, a donkey, that is conservative, and the tiger, signifying violence.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
Former Chief Minister of Nagaland and former Governor of Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Odisha, SC Jamir on Tuesday said that Nagas have completely neglected “economic development and social reformation” in the pursuit of politics. He made a fervent appeal to the Nagas to “escape” from this “dangerous trend”.
Addressing the Dimapur based media fraternity on the occasion of “National Press Day” at Dimapur Press Club (DPC) organized programme held at the DBDIL Hall, Don Bosco School Campus, Dimapur, Jamir who is also the lone surviving signatories of the 16 Point Agreement between the Government of India and the Nagas, said that the Nagas are living in a very “confused society” and that even though they talk about advancement and development, Nagas are too obsessed with the past.
Two identities of Nagas
The former chief minister opined that Nagas have two identities—the Nagas identity manifested by honesty, bravery, courage, and endurance, and the Christian identity which is love, peace, goodwill and harmony. SC Jamir also pointed out that the Nagas are rearing three animals which according to him are an ape, which is primitive, a donkey, that is conservative and the tiger, signifying violence.
On this, he said that the Nagas have not been able to “kill these three animals” even today which is why the Nagas are not able to move forward and restore peace.
He also maintained that the Nagas should have a “forward-looking” attitude and vision while also lamenting that though the Naga people talk about unity but are divided and therefore, he challenged the Nagas to pave a way to “positivism” by shunning away “negativism”.
Naga Political Issue
On the protracted Naga political issue, SC Jamir felt that the Nagas should be grateful to the leaders of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) by stating that even though they are subjected to only one idea, during these long years of tireless “negotiations”, they are exposed to modern civilization thereby they seeing the “contemporary realities” in politics, economics and everything in life.
He said that the NNPGs in their own wisdom and with their political foresight, they had “accepted” the reality of the world, the reality of Indian and the Naga societies, while also recognizing the “unique position” India in the “geo-political affairs”. The armed groups had agreed to sign two agreements with the Government of India, known as the “Framework Agreement” signed on August 3, 2015, followed by another “Agreed Position” signed two years later on November 17, 2017.
On a statement made by the Prime Minister of India after signing of the “Framework Agreement”, Jamir said “Nagas are part and parcel of this great nation, India, and our system has to be regulated according to the constitution of India”.
Agreed Position
With regard to the “Agreed Position”, Jamir said that they had neither mentioned “sovereignty” nor “integration”. He stressed that the “exclusion” was because they recognized the contemporary political values for which he said he believed that both the leaders of the “underground” and the Government of India have drawn out the “agreement” in the best interest of the Nagas.