The Naga Narrative of Conflict: Envisioning a Resolution Roadmap

The Naga narrative of dissent is a longstanding issue afflicting India’s Northeast. Though attempts are being made to resolve the issue through peaceful dialogue between the Union Government and the resistance groups, earlier peace agreements such as the Nine Point Hydari Agreement and the Shillong Accord failed to garner support from all the different Naga tribes. The local fault lines are also playing a destabilizing role in the current peace process with tribal loyalties transcending group loyalties. In this context, the article examines the Indo-Naga relations, the divide between the extremists and the moderates within the Naga movement. It also assesses the counter-discourse to the mainstream separatist discourse. Finally, the article critiques the idea of Naga “uniqueness” on which the resistance groups base their movement as well as indicates the significant “incompatibilities” between actors in order to draw out certain significant policy implications for a peaceful resolution of the issue.