News Analysis India

Tag: Nagaland

  • Nagaland government to hold special Assembly session against AFSPA

    By PTI

    KOHIMA: In the aftermath of the killing of 14 civilians by security forces in Mon district, the Nagaland government on Thursday decided to hold a special session of the Assembly to discuss and pass a resolution for repealing the AFSPA, a government +spokesperson said.

    The special session is tentatively scheduled for December 20 and the Governor of Assam and Nagaland Jagdish Mukhi will formally summon it, Minister for Planning & Coordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu told PTI here.

    The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, gives the Army powers of arrest and detention in ‘disturbed areas’.

    He said that the decision was taken during a meeting of the Core Committee on Naga Political Issue of the state government held here during the day.

    The Core Committee headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also comprises Cabinet ministers, besides representatives from all the political parties in the North-eastern state.

    The special session will also have discussions on the Naga political issue, Kronu said.

    Six coal mine workers were killed at Oting village in Mon district on Saturday in a botched-up ambush by security forces.

    This led to clashes later, in which seven civilians lost their lives.

    On Sunday afternoon, a mob vandalised and set on fire parts of an Assam Rifles camp in Mon town during which another civilian was killed, the police had said.

    Following the incidents, the demand for revocation of AFSPA from Nagaland has been mounting.

    After laying a wreath on the mortal remains of the victims on Monday, the chief minister had called for scrapping the “draconian Act”.

    Tribal organisations and civil societies, including the Naga Students Federation and women’s groups, have been asking the state government to hold a special session of the Assembly and pass a resolution for repealing the Act.

  • Former CJI Ranjan Gogoi terms Nagaland incident mistake, cautions against hasty decision on AFSPA

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi Wednesday termed as a “mistake” and “unfortunate” the deaths of 14 civilians in the Nagaland firing incident and said that hasty decisions are not needed concerning demands for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

    A total of 15 people lost their lives in the incident, including 14 civilians and an Army personnel when an angry mob allegedly attacked an Assam Rifles camp in Nagaland and the incident has led to the growing chorus of demands seeking repeal of the AFSPA.

    The 1958 law is an Act of Parliament that grants special powers to Armed Forces to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”.

    “The demand for repeal (of AFSPA) has been going for long. The incident (deaths in Nagaland) was a mistake. Accidents are unfortunate. Stringent laws may be required. Hasty decisions are not needed,” said the former CJI and Rajya Sabha MP.

    “At times you feel the requirements, but in times of accident, you feel the need for repeal. Truth goes both ways,” he said.

    The 46th CJI, the first from the northeast states, was speaking at the launch of his autography, ‘Justice for the Judge’ here and expressed his opinion on the issue in response to a question.

    On the issue of him being nominated for Rajya Sabha, the former CJIs said, “You cannot calm me down with noises. Even if I have second thoughts of continuing, today I am strong. I will not bow down to unconstitutional voices.”

    On the collegiums system of judges appointing judges, he said, “I had no difficulty with the process when I was there…We had a consensus after prolonged discussions. Every system has positive and negative. Everything has to be fine balanced.”

    On the transfer of judges following the intelligence report, Justice Gogoi said the matter is political in which judges have no say and was with Parliament.

  • Mystery shrouds Assam CM Himanta Biswa and Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio’s closed-door meeting 

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Mystery shrouds a closed-door meeting held between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio on Sunday.

    None of them disclosed what exactly was discussed. Calls made to Rio went unattended. Sarma said issues of mutual interest were discussed.

    “Glad to have met HCM Nagaland Sri @Neiphiu_Rio at Jorhat today, along with MP Sri @KamakhyaTasa. Discussed several issues of mutual interest in order to strengthen the age-old ties & bonhomie b/w two states. We strive towards building an ever united & stronger #NorthEast,” the Assam CM tweeted.

    Glad to inaugurate the state-of-the-art auditorium built under CSR of @OilIndiaLimited with Rs 4.65 cr at Jorhat Engineering College (JEC).I thank JEC for dedicating the auditorium to ex-student Arnab Kishore Bordoloi,who lost his life in the Baghjan fire incident last year. pic.twitter.com/4hCmFNRWZN
    — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 21, 2021
    The two states are locked in a bitter and raging border dispute that claimed many lives in the past. In July this year, they had signed an agreement to de-escalate tension on the interstate border.

    Sources said the duo must have also discussed issues pertaining to the Naga rebel groups as well as the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).

    The Centre has taken both of them into confidence as it tries to resolve the protracted “Naga political problem”. The peace talks with major rebel group National Socialist Council of Nagalim or NSCN-IM have hit roadblocks as the outfit has remained adamant on the contentious demand of Naga flag and “yezabo” (constitution).

    As regards the ULFA, the Assam government is trying to reach the outfit back-channel as it attempts to initiate a peace process. The ULFA uses the soil of Nagaland as well as Arunachal Pradesh for movement to and fro Myanmar where it operates from. It works in coordination with several insurgent groups of the Northeast, including some NSCN factions.

    The ULFA went into a peace mode after announcing a three-month long unilateral ceasefire which has been extended twice.

  • Nagaland sees birth of another rebel group as NSCN (Reformation) splits

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Even as the Centre is struggling to deal with a large number of Naga extremist groups in its bid to resolve the seven-decade-old Naga political problem, another rebel outfit has been floated.

    As a result of a power struggle, some leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Reformation), led by Akato Chophi, broke away from the insurgent group to float a faction with the same nomenclature.

    Y Wangtin Naga and P Tikhak are serving the parent organisation as president and “ato kilonser” (prime minister) respectively.

    In a joint statement, they expressed regret over the development and expelled Chophi who was the outfit’s vice president. The duo said despite various efforts, Chophi chose to part ways.

    The Nagas have over a dozen extremist groups. Barring the Yung Aung faction of the NSCN, which has mostly Myanmar Nagas and operates from the soil of the neighbouring country, the rest of the groups are in peace mode following their signing of separate ceasefire agreements with the central government.

    The Centre’s stand on the breakaway faction remains to be seen. Chophi said it was up to the Government of India to sign a peace deal. He claimed his group has over 2,000 active members.

    He told a local newspaper that the split was not for “power or personal benefits” but in the interest of the Nagas. He said he was aghast that a section of NSCN (Reformation) leaders, who knew nothing about the history of the Nagas, was after money.

    Born in 1980, the NSCN suffered the first split in 1988 when SS Khaplang broke away from the group and floated the NSCN-K. The parent body, led by Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah, came to be known as the NSCN-IM from then on.

    Over the past two decades or so, the NSCN suffered multiple splits. Currently, the Centre is holding separate peace parleys with the NSCN-IM and seven other groups, which came together under the banner of Naga National Political Groups or NNPGs. The newly-floated NSCN faction could be the latest addition.

    The solution to the vexed problem continues to elude the Nagas and the central government as the NSCN-IM has stuck to its guns on the contentious demand of separate Naga flag and Naga “yezabo” (constitution).

    In contrast, the NNPGs have more or less come to an understanding. Its position is that all substantive issues could be discussed following a solution.

  • Harvest festival begins for Nagaland’s Lotha community

    By Online Desk

    KOHIMA: Tokhu Emong, the post-harvest festival of the Lotha Nagas is being celebrated across Nagaland. The festival starts every year on November 7 and lasts for 9 days.

    The festival is celebrated with lots of enthusiasm and fun as this festival brings the time to rejoice the fruit of hard work with the end of labor period of harvesting.

    The Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio has greeted the Lotha community on the occasion.

    Tokhu Emong greetings to the Lotha community. May the Almighty’s blessings be upon everyone as you celebrate the postharvest festival and may it foster brotherhood, peace and oneness. Best wishes for a happy and safe Tokhu Emong. #Nagaland #LandOfFestivals pic.twitter.com/5kNQSA9Vz4— Neiphiu Rio (@Neiphiu_Rio) November 5, 2021

    While greeting the people of Nagaland during the occasion, Governor Jagdish Mukhi noted that “Tokhu Emong signifies ending of all bitterness and strengthening the familial and social bonding. It is also a celebration of unity and gratitude. Let us always uphold these rich cultural legacies.”

    “Through its commencement, people relive the stories of their ancestors composed decades before,” Northeast Today reported.

    The highlights of the festival include people making gracious offerings to the Sky God and Earth God to bless their land and make their fields fertile.

  • Naga flag, constitution: Centre’s post-solution narrative is a well laid trap, says NSCN-IM

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) viewed the Centre’s offer of Naga flag and “yehzabo” (constitution) post-solution to the vexed ‘Naga political problem’ as a well laid trap on Sunday.Stating that its pressing concern is on the two core issues, the insurgent group said the talks with the Centre’s new interlocutor AK Mishra, which resumed after a gap of two years, failed to live up to all the hype as the Centre continued to indulge in political escapism.The NSCN-IM said despite officially recognising the unique history and situation of the Nagas which had led to the signing of the Framework Agreement in 2015, the Centre was still pretentiously acting stubborn as the crucial rounds of talks that focused on the Naga flag and the Naga constitution were driven to hang in balance.“The Naga flag is not just a piece of cloth to the Nagas but a feeling of pride which helped hundreds of Naga martyrs to sacrifice their lives by just seeing the flag flying high in the sky. Down the line, the Nagas…have learned to attach a strong emotional bond to the Naga flag as a symbol of the Naga nation’s pride and values,” the NSCN-IM said.Alleging that the Centre is talking in different languages to different Naga rebel groups on the issue of Naga flag, the outfit said it was not impressed when the offer was made to accept the Naga flag as a cultural symbol.“The Naga issue is not a cultural issue that the Government of India should change the Naga flag as a cultural symbol and forego the Naga political identity as symbolised by the Naga flag. Where is the need for the Indo-Naga ceasefire if the Naga issue is a cultural problem?” the NSCN-IM asked.The outfit asserted it would not succumb to the flattering “post solution” offer. The NSCN cannot drag the Nagas to make another blunder by falling into the trap being machinated by the Government of India, it said.“The Nagas cannot be carried away by the ‘post solution narrative’ which is just a well laid trap. Christmas may come and go but the NSCN will not stop fighting to defend the Naga political identity,” the outfit added.

  • Nagaland Police suspends 13 personnel for not declaring seizure of 10 gold bars

    By PTI

    KOHIMA: The Nagaland Police have suspended 13 personnel of its narcotic cell for allegedly seizing 10 gold bars from smugglers but keeping the authorities in the dark about it, a senior police officer said on Friday.

    A criminal case was instituted against them and an inquiry was ordered into the alleged “misconduct of the law enforcers”, he said.

    The incident took place in September this year but the police action came to light now.

    On September 10, at least 13 personnel of the narcotic cell manning the inter-state check gate at Khuzama in Kohima district had reportedly seized the 10 gold bars, Senior Superintendent of Police (Crime) and PRO police headquarters, Manoj Kumar said while interacting with journalists here.

    On receipt of the information, a criminal case was registered against the 13 personnel at the state crime police station of the police headquarters in Kohima on September 17, he said.

    Reacting to social-media reports that some gold bars were missing from 290 of them, weighing approximately 48.14 kg, recovered by another team at the narcotic checkpoint at Khuzama on October 3, the PRO clarified that it is incorrect.

    The seizures made in both the cases are intact at the police ‘malkhana’ (godown), he said.

  • Assam CM Himanta meets NSCN-IM leader Muivah, discusses Naga issue

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Deputed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met senior National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) leader Thuingaleng Muivah in Nagaland’s Dimapur on Tuesday.

    Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was with Sarma during the hour-long closed-door meeting. What transpired there was in the realms of speculations.

    The meeting comes a day after Sarma’s purported intense deliberations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Monday night.

    Sarma landed at Dimapur at 12:30 pm and straightway went to the private residence of Rio in the town. Later, both left for the meeting venue.

    At the end of the meeting, the Assam CM visited a resort in the vicinity and held separate discussions with former Intelligence Bureau special director AK Mishra and state BJP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, party chief Temjen Imna Along Longkumer, and some Ministers.

    Mishra had met Muivah on Monday and after the meeting, NSCN-IM leader R Raising told journalists it would be meaningless to sign an agreement that denies the Nagas their flag and constitution.

    Prior to leaving for Dimapur, Sarma told journalists in Guwahati that it was a “routine” visit, being undertaken for a “political reason”.

    ALSO READ | Home Minister Amit Shah authorised me to hold preliminary talks with ULFA: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

    “I keep going to Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram. There is nothing new. My visit is political. I am going there for a political reason,” he had said.

    He also disclosed that he had met the NSCN-IM leadership informally three-four times in Delhi.

    Given Sarma’s involvement in the Naga issue, the Congress feared that he might compromise on the state’s territorial interest considering the NSCN-IM’s demand for the creation of “Greater Nagalim” by integrating the Naga-inhabited areas of some neighbouring states with Nagaland.

    “…The Manipur CM (N Biren Singh) has been also asked to be a part of the talks along with the Assam CM. But we have come know that the Manipur CM has decided not to participate in the talks due to differences on the Greater Nagalim issue,” Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said.

    He asked in what capacity Sarma held the talks with Muivah and if the CM could do this without taking the state Assembly and the cabinet into confidence.

    Meanwhile, Sarma on Tuesday revealed that his government was informally holding talks with Paresh Baruah, chairman of rebel group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).

    “Assam government has maintained some communication with ULFA military chief Paresh Baruah, who is now the outfit’s chairman. I asked the Union Home Minister if I can directly talk to Baruah should there be such a situation. He gave the permission,” Sarma said.

    “If he (Baruah) is willing, I will talk to him over the phone or through other media. If the process gets a push, the Government of India will get involved at some point in time,” the CM said.

    He said these were early days and hence, no conclusion should be drawn. It is going to be a long affair, he added.

  • Peace talks with NSCN-IM resume, CMs of Assam, Nagaland to meet Muivah Tuesday

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The peace talks between Centre and National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) resumed after nearly two years with the former special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) AK Mishra meeting the rebel outfit’s general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah in Nagaland’s Dimapur on Monday.

    While the Centre had stressed that it was in favour of resolving the Naga imbroglio as soon as possible, the NSCN-IM said any solution to the Naga issue without the ‘sacred’ Naga flag and constitution would be meaningless.

    In a significant development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is considered a troubleshooter for Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio will meet Muivah on Tuesday. Sources said Rio had arrived in Dimapur from Kohima on Monday for the meeting.

    The peace talks ran into trouble after the Centre’s interlocutor RN Ravi had allegedly circulated a “doctored” version of the Framework Agreement, signed between the Centre and the rebel group in 2015 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

    Even as a bitter spat between Ravi and NSCN-IM continued, Shah deputed Sarma, who was then serving as Assam’s Finance Minister, Rio and a Naga social activist to meet Muivah in Delhi to understand their grievances.

    In due course, the trio convinced Shah that Ravi should be relieved of his responsibilities as interlocutor. Subsequently, Mishra was roped in with a senior serving IB official to continue the engagements with NSCN-IM, followed by their informal meetings with the outfit’s leadership.

    For the last year, Muivah has maintained that only Ravi’s removal from the post of interlocutor would ensure the talks’ progress.

    ALSO READ | Are taxes levied by militants legal? Nagaland stands united against extortion by rebel groups

    “The NSCN had exercised much restraint against the systematic ultimatum issued by the representative of GoI (Ravi) since July 2019, which was replaced during the talks on October 31, 2019. The representative of GoI has acted very irresponsibly and disrespectful (sic) to the Naga talk teams during the talks on January 30 in Dimapur, referring to the NSCN proposal submitted on January 18 as stupid and contaminated,” Muivah’s February 2020 letter to the PM reads.

    Ravi, who was also serving as the Nagaland governor, is now holding the gubernatorial position of Tamil Nadu.

    Meanwhile, NSCN-IM leader R Raising told journalists on Monday that it would be meaningless to sign any agreement that denies the Nagas their flag and constitution.

    “Any agreement, which is short of the (Naga) flag and the constitution, will be unacceptable to the people and the NSCN-IM. It will be a meaningless agreement,” Raising said.

    “The Government of India had invited us to resume the talks. They sent their representative on the basis of a directive from the PM. We reaffirmed the Framework Agreement during today’s meeting in letter and in spirit,” Raising said.

    He said the success of the peace talks would depend on the sincerity and commitment of both sides.

    The Centre is holding parallel talks with seven other groups which came together under the banner of Naga National Political Groups or NNPGs and Raising said the NSCN-IM has already made its position clear that the solution would be inclusive.

  • Are taxes levies by militants legal? Nagaland stands united against extortion by rebel groups

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The traders in Nagaland have confronted the state government asking how justified is the collection of “taxes” by the armed groups, even as shops and commercial establishments across the state protested with a day-long strike on Thursday.

    Businesses in the state have their back broken as the traders are required to pay multiple taxes to as many as 10 armed groups, including the well-known factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland/Nagalim or NSCN.

    For years, the traders and business persons have silently paid the taxes for the fear of the gun. Now, they have started speaking up. Protests against, what is locally called “taxation”, were spearheaded by some civil society organisations in the past. The shutdown on Thursday, however, was unprecedented as it affected the entire state.

    There is hardly any resistance from the government. In fact, successive governments have remained blind to this deeply-rooted malaise that is affecting the lives of all and sundry.

    The Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) asked the Neiphiu Rio government to act if it feels this is an illegal activity.

    ALSO READ | Critics happy as RN Ravi moved out of Nagaland as TN governor

    “We have asked the government to clarify if this is legal or illegal. If the government says this is illegal, it has to control this with the help of resources and manpower that it has at its disposal. If the government says it is legal, we have to increase the prices of commodities manifold because we have to survive,” CNCCI chairman Khekugha Muru told this newspaper.

    The traders in the country pay one tax (GST) but those in Nagaland are required to pay 12-13 taxes.

    Muru said the crux of the problem was the unresolved Naga political issue. He said the Government of India, Naga armed groups, and the state government should have a will to settle the Naga issue. If the problem is settled, there will then be just one tax.

    “There are items that come with MRP. If we sell those above MRP, the consumers will not pay it. It is also illegal. But if we are to sell the products within MRP, we won’t have any margin. In fact, we will suffer losses. This is what the traders are struggling within Nagaland,” Muru added.

    Dimapur is the state’s commercial hub. The Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said there is no fixation of the tax rates.

    “Some pay the taxes in lakhs, some in thousands. There are business, godown, agency, transportation taxes etc. All the groups collect money from every goods-laden truck or train that enters Nagaland,” DCCI president Akashe Zhimomi said.

    He said the owner of a small shop is required to pay Rs 40,000-Rs 50,000 as taxes a year. Even the pan shops are not spared, he said.

    “We have asked the government to tell us if it is taxation or extortion. We have also asked how the government is going to ensure the welfare and security of business persons. We are awaiting a response,” Zhimomi added.

    The rebel groups in Nagaland run parallel governments and they have ministries and “kilonsers” (ministers). Some of the groups are accused of indulging in gunrunning and drugs trade by the central agencies.