By Giriraj Bhattacharjee*
The Myanmar-based Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-Khaplang) inwards a ‘party emergency meeting’ held on August 17, 2018, at its ‘council headquarters’ inwards Myanmar’s Sagaing region, ‘elected’ Yung Aung, a Myanmarese national, every bit the novel ‘acting chairman’ of the outfit. The NSCN-K inwards a free announced, “The National Socialist Council unanimously elected Mr. Yung Aung every bit the novel Acting Chairman of the political party past times a bulk vote on this twenty-four hr menstruum of 17th August 2018… effective from today he shall practice his powers, functions….” Yung Aung replaced the incumbent ‘chairman’ ‘lieutenant general’ Khango Konyak (an Indian national) who was ‘impeached’ during the ’emergency meeting’, inwards absentia. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 NSCN-K contestation reportedly released to the media read,
He was constitute guilty of absolute command of powers as well as functions without collective leadership, non-distribution of powers as well as functions exposing a one-man authorities policy, incompatible traits…
The contestation termed his impeachment a necessity to “save” the ‘party’ from farther “breakdown as well as confusion”.
The contestation reportedly added the outfit would reserve its observe for Khango every bit the senior-most political party fellow member as well as inwards recognition for his long service towards the drive of the ‘nation’, “he shall live on unharmed as well as volition live on allowed a rubber passage”.
On June 20, 2017, Khango Konyak had replaced the founding ‘chairman’ of NSCN-K, Shangwang Shangyung Khaplang, next the latter’s expiry on June 9, 2017, after a prolonged affliction inwards a infirmary at Taga inwards the Sagaing Division of Myanmar. Khango Konyak at that fourth dimension was the ‘vice-chairman’ of the outfit. The novel ‘acting chairman’ Aung is the nephew of Shangwang Shangyung Khaplang as well as was the ‘defence kilonser (minister)’ of the outfit prior to his elevation.
Though the NSCN-K free defendant Khango Konyak of violating ‘party discipline’ as well as cited roughly reasons which led to his ‘impeachment’, this was, inwards all likelihood done alongside an aim to withdraw dorsum a Myanmarese national to the helm of the outfit i time again. If reports are to live on believed, after the expiry of Khaplang, NSCN-K had appointed ‘commander-in-chief’ Khumchok Pangmi, a Myanmarese national, every bit ‘acting chairman’. This was resisted past times Naga members from the Indian side on the Blue Planet that, existence the ‘vice-chairman’, Khango Konyak was the rightful claimant to the supreme position. Though Konyak so became the ‘chairman’, the split betwixt Myanmarese as well as Indian Naga members inwards the grouping rose to surface. Konyak had been a Khaplang loyalist since 1988, when NSCN split into the NSCN-K as well as NSCN- Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) factions, as well as alongside his ‘impeachment’ the grouping has virtually no Naga from Bharat inwards a seat of power. Prior to Nagaland’s Assembly election inwards February, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju emphasized that NSCN-K was “an insurgent grouping from Myanmar”, when asked if the Government foresaw a threat from the outfit during the polls.
Reports besides dot that the sudden determination to ‘impeach’ Konyak was because the Myanmar-origin Nagas were inching closer to signing a peace accord alongside the Myanmar Government. NSCN-K has formally maintained a ceasefire alongside the Myanmar Government since Apr 2012.
The behave on of the ‘impeachment’ remains uncertain. Yung Aung reportedly has deep links alongside PRC as well as maintains closed ties alongside the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah as well as the Manipuri militant leadership. If he chooses to emphasize the operational unity of militant formations across the Northeast – every bit did Khaplang nether the aegis of the United National Liberation Front West South Eastern Asia (UNLFWESA) – this may escalate violence inwards the region.
NSCN-K had emerged every bit the most active militant outfit nether Khaplang after it walked out of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) inwards 2015, peculiarly targeting Security Forces (SFs). NSCN-K violence spanned Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, as well as Arunachal Pradesh, alongside the grouping linked to a full of at to the lowest degree 79 fatalities (seven civilians, 32 SF personnel, as well as forty NSCN-K militants) inwards the 3 United States of America betwixt March 27, 2015 as well as June 10, 2017, before Khango Konyak assumed charge. However, inwards Konyak’s fourteen calendar month tenure, violence declined, as well as NSCN-K ‘central commission member’ U Kyaw Wan Sein observed on [report of August 20, 2018],
He [Khango] could non create anything that would prepare our organization. We were disordered as well as our piece of job suffered setbacks. There was no guidance to the ministries as well as no engagement alongside the public.
According to partial information collected past times the Southern Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), exclusively 5 NSCN-K linked fatalities (one civilian, i trooper, as well as 3 NSCN-K militants) were recorded across Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland as well as Manipur during Konyak’s tenure. No fatalities accept been recorded inwards Assam from June 11, 2017, till date. Only i major incident (resulting inwards 3 or to a greater extent than fatalities) was attributed to NSCN-K inwards this period.
Konyak’s impeachment may besides behave on adversely on the India’s efforts to withdraw NSCN-K dorsum to the negotiating table. Founder ‘chairman’ Khaplang was e'er nether the command of Myanmarese Nagas, who remained extremely hostile to the Indian Government. Konyak’s appointment every bit ‘chairman’ had raised hopes of an early on breakthrough. After Khaplang’s expiry MoS Rijiju had noted, on June 10, 2017,
Khaplang was the main individual who was supporting as well as facilitating insurgency inwards the Northeast as well as had a clout. He was a Myanmarese citizen as well as thus at that topographic point was a problem. His expiry volition definitely accept behave on inwards the region.
With Konyak’s ‘impeachment’ the province of affairs is probable to revert to the before condition of amplified hostility.
Significantly, NSCN-K is the exclusively Naga outfit which exterior the reach of the Naga talks, which accept purportedly been at a ‘final stage’ since the signing of the ‘framework agreement’ alongside NSCN-IM on August 3, 2015.
On the other hand, the ‘impeachment’ may Pb to the farther weakening of the outfit. An unnamed source observed, “The motion may Pb to defection inside the NSCN-K, every bit the Konyak tribe as well as the Indian-origin Nagas volition sure live on angered past times it…” Two before instances of splits inwards NSCN-K include the formation of Khole-Kitovi faction [NSCN-KK, after rechristened every bit NSCN-Neopao Konyak/Kitovi (NK)] inwards 2011, as well as the Reformation faction (NSCN-R) inwards 2015. Khole Konyak as well as Kitovi Zhimomi, who formed NSCN-KK, were Indians. Two other Indian NSCN-K leaders, Y. Wangtin Konyak as well as P. Tikhak, who did non handgrip to Khaplang’s diktat on abrogation of ceasefire, had formed NSCN-R. The Government signed a ceasefire understanding alongside NSCN-NK on Apr 28, 2012; as well as alongside NSCN-R on Apr 27, 2015.
Further, the ‘impeachment’ is unlikely to weaken the militant conglomerate UNLFWESA, every bit the human relationship betwixt the participating formations remains deeply symbiotic inwards damage of money, arms as well as camps. However, alongside the removal of Indian Nagas, primarily of Konyak origin, the back upward for NSCN-K may shrink inwards the Konyak inhibited areas such every bit the Monday District of Nagaland. UNLFWESA was showtime headed past times Khaplang and, after his death; Khango Konyak became the ‘chief’ of this alliance.
Meanwhile, Konyak is believed to accept left the NSCN-K ‘domain’ along alongside other ‘Indian’ Naga leaders, including ‘lieutenant general’ Niki Sumi, the ‘military supervisor’ of the Indian side, as well as Isaac Sumi, its ‘publicity secretary’. Reports dot that Khango Konyak remains undecided virtually his time to come as well as is said to live on inwards touching alongside both the Isak Muivah as well as Khole-Neopak factions. According to sources, almost a hundred cadres are believed to live on inwards Konyak’s group, every bit they furnish to the Indian side inwards batches. Reports propose that Konyak may bring together the ‘peace talks’. Other reports dot that NSCN-K’s Sumi tribal faction from Nagaland, led past times Nikki Sumi, may presently achieve a ceasefire designated military camp inwards the State.
The coup inside NSCN-K volition sure accept an behave on on the Naga insurgency, but the intensity as well as direction of its consequences rest uncertain.
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