Like other parts of the country, Nagaland limped towards normalcy in 2021 through Unlock (relaxations) after the one-year lockdown the previous year. However, 2021 was also the worst period of the covid pandemic when the Delta variant went on a deadly spree across Nagaland.
However, the most shocking incident of the year was the Oting massacre on December 4 when 13 civilians were gunned down by a unit of the 21 Paras and next day another shot and killed by Assam Rifles in Mon as protestors tried to storm the camp.
The Oting massacre reopened old wounds and led to massive protest rallies across Nagaland and also other north eastern states for repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958.
The repeal of the draconian AFSPA may be a reality by the new year 2022 in the event the 5-member committee instituted by the union home ministry recommends revocation from Nagaland after around 63 years of being in force.
The 5-member committee, instituted on December 26, is to submit its report for repeal of AFSPA in Nagaland to the Centre within 45 days of its institution.
AFSPA in Nagaland (erstwhile Naga Hills) was preceded by the Assam Maintenance of Public Order Act 1947 on June 15,1948 in response to the declaration of Naga independence by the NNC on August 14,1947.
There were many events that took place during the year such as the persistent pleas for imposing Inner Line Permit throughout Dimapur district. On December 9,2019 the government of Nagaland, in a notification issued by the chief secretary, extended the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regulation to the entire Dimapur district some 40 years after a notification issued on November 21,1979, which made then Dimapur sub-division a tribal belt.
In order to identify who come under the ambit of ILP and those who don’t come under it, the government initiated the process of preparing the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) on July 10,2019. In order to prepare guidelines, the government then announced the constitution of a three-member commission on RIIN on July 28, 2019 headed by former chief secretary Banuo Z. Jamir.
The commission submitted its report to the government by end of 2019 but the cabinet has yet to take any decision even after one and half years. The JCPI and other organisations asked the government to table the RIIN commission report at assembly session in 2020 but that did not happen.
Another major development that took place was the transfer of incumbent governor of Nagaland R.N. Ravi to Tamil Nadu following discord with the ruling PDA government in the state and the NSCN(I-M) over the latter’s demand for flag and constitution as part solution.
Ravi also resigned as Interlocutor and the Government of India appointed retired IB Director A.K. Mishra as the Representative for talks with the NSCN(I-M) before finalising solution.
The formation of an all-party government on September 18, comprising of the ruling PDA (NDPP, BJP and Ind.) with the opposition NPF under the nomenclature United Democratic Alliance (UDA) was the second political low down in Nagaland’s political history. The first was when eight opposition Congress MLAs joined the DAN-III comprising of NPF and BJP.
Both all-party and opposition-less governments were formed for the same objective- unity for the cause of early solution to the Naga political issue.
Four more new districts were created-Noklak (January 20, 2021), Tseminyu, Chümoukedima and Niuland (all in December 21,2021)- taking the number of districts in Nagaland to 15.
These developments will certainly have an impact on the new year but most importantly, once the dust over AFSPA settles, it will be time to refocus back to the long pending solution to the Naga political issue that was expected in 2019.