Three years of Rio

Neiphiu Rio provides stability, but fails to unify various underground groups to pave way for an amicable solution of the Naga problem.  

North East News Agency

Stability was one of the concerns when Neiphiu Rio took over the reins of Nagaland three years ago. Before the commencement of Rio regime, Nagaland witnessed 10-year uninterrupted Congress rule. As Rio was heading a coalition government, many feared that political instability might affect the State.

The State was at a crucial juncture then. After more than two decades, NSCN (IM) stalwarts Issac Swu and T. Muivah visited         India and hold peace parleys at the highest level. The chances of   peace returning back to Nagaland after decades of unrest was most brightened then. As political stability is one of the pre-     requisite for peace, many were interested in watching how Rio handles his flocks.

Beyond doubt, Rio handled the responsibility pretty well. Running a coalition government, that too in Nagaland, is not an easy job. There were tense moments too, especially when K. Therie was ousted from   the party. But Rio survived all    such anxious moments and at present looking good for couple of more years.

If Rio had succeeded in providing stability to Nagaland, he had failed in bringing back peace in the State. His supporters may argue that bringing back peace is not the sole responsibility of the Chief Minister. The Centre too had a role to play. Rio himself recently commented that his government is acting as a facilitator in the peace talks between the Centre and the NSCN (IM).

But Rio cannot escape the blame putting the responsibility on the Centre alone. He will have to share the blame equally. As the Chief Minister of the State it was Rio’s duty to create an amicable atmosphere for peace in Nagaland. But the DAN Government has failed to do that.During Rio regime, Nagas got no respite from factional fights, fratricidal killings and extortion. Rather, the inaction of the State Government is bound to give an impression that the present regime is soft to one particular group.

It is Rio himself who has strengthened this belief. Recently, he came out with a formula suggesting that integration of Naga-inhabited areas might solve the vexed Naga problem and requested the Centre to act on this without delay. But the fact remains that integration issue is not the only stumbling block in way of an amicable solution of the Naga problem. There are other hurdles too. Rio never tried to remove those blockades during his three-year tenure. There is no indication that he may take up the job in the remaining two years of his tenure.

After coming to power, Rio formed a committee to look in to the issue of unification of various Naga underground groups. But after that Rio did nothing to pursue this goal. Everyone in Nagaland knows that without unification of various Naga underground groups an amicable solution of the Naga problem will continue to elude. Reaching to an agreement to one group ignoring others will definitely not restore peace in the State. One can only hope that in the remaining two  years of his regime Rio will work tirelessly to bring all Naga underground factions together. Otherwise real peace in Nagaland will remain as a myth.

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