@ScribeTricky
We can agree to disagree. They say. The authorities have two options: write them and their demands off or bring them on board. The scenario prevalent implies that the latter is a win-win situation for the parties involved.
Columbian Experience:
After fighting bitterly for nearly half a century, Colombian Government and its rival FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a left rebel group) have to come to an understanding of ending the futile Civil War. Though the initial referendum was lost by a thin majority, both parties didn’t call of the peace process and revised the terms of the accord.
Nobel peace prize winner and incumbent Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, expressed his sincere gratitude to the Senate and Congress for ratifying the peace accord. Though, this is a small step in the direction where things would normalize in upcoming days, but it is a welcome start.
Nepalese Experience:
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and seven-party alliance, ruling Nepal then, successfully negotiated peace deal in 2002-03 after waging a decade-long Civil War in Nepal. Interestingly, a major section Maoists have been drawn into Constitutional framework, whereby they have given up extra-constitutional forms of struggle.
The absorption of dissenters in the mainstream politics has saved many innocent lives from being lost in the Himalayan State.
Inferences:
Incidences of usefulness of drawing dissenters are numerous. In India, there are many cases where hitherto rebels were drawn, successfully, into the mainstream political institutions. The lasting peace in Mizoram to the dreaded dacoits of Chambal, Indian constitutional mechanism has welcomed dissenters to join the mainstream and be part of system for the larger welfare of the masses.
Though on occasions pretty late, however, Indian State extends it outreach to the dissenters to get on board and they too should reciprocate timely. Petty provokers of dissents, be them Naxals or Separatists in Kashmir or in the north-east, are themselves aware that they can’t withstand the might of the Indian State but for petty self interests they extend futile proxy resistance.
Talk of the Town:
With Conservative backlash globally, the talk of the town is getting binarified, either with me or against me. Both the parties need to collaborate their stances to get in tune with each other’s aspirations and cater accordingly.
Workshop of History:
Once revisiting past, History instructively show that getting dissentors on board is good for the humanity in large. Both the parties have to show the grit to come to the terms.
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