Dimapur: There will be bloodshed in the region if the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN (I-M) is kept out of the peace accord expected to be signed Thursday, a senior commander of the outfit told ThePrint.
“There can never be peace without the NSCN (I-M)’s participation,” the commander added, speaking to this reporter from an undisclosed location.
“The NSCN (I-M) has been struggling and fighting this battle for decades now,” he said. “How can there be peace if the government does not respect us? There will be bloodshed. If the government tries to wipe us out, they will have to pay a price.”
Asked about reports that the outfit’s camp at Hebron, the headquarters of the NSCN (I-M), is being “emptied” out ahead of the peace accord, the commander was dismissive.
“The Hebron camp can never be emptied out. We are shifting some of our army men to some other places in keeping with requirements. Our government is there.”
The commander was referring to the army and the parallel administration run by the NSCN (I-M) since the 1990s under the banner of the “government of the people’s republic of Nagalim”.
Nagalim, or greater Nagaland, is the territory Naga groups have historically hoped to establish by bringing together Nagaland and parts of Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar.
However, during talks with the central government, the NSCN (I-M) and other groups reportedly agreed to give up their demand for sovereignty and pursue a solution that won’t require the redrawing of boundaries.
Even so, on the precipice of signing, the NSCN (I-M) has conditioned the peace accord on a separate constitution and flag for the Nagas, a demand the government has refused to concede.
This stance of the NSCN (I-M) has not just brought it at odds with the government on the eve of an accord, but also put off many of its own members.
As a result, several leaders of the NSCN (I-M) have left the group to join the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), a coalition of seven armed outfits that joined the dialogue in 2017.
The NNPG is said to be ready to push through with the accord, with a member of its working committee telling ThePrint Tuesday that “other issues, including the flag and the constitution, may be discussed later through democratic process”.
Also Read: Modi govt to push ahead with Naga peace accord, ‘with or without NSCN (I-M)’
Nervousness in Nagaland
There is plenty of nervousness in Nagaland ahead of Thursday, the deadline fixed by the Modi government to push through a peace agreement meant to end India’s oldest insurgency.
Security has been beefed up over fears of possible violence by NSCN (I-M) cadres over their exclusion from the accord, even as police hinted that several members were likely to go into hiding, now that many of their leaders were with the NNPG as well.
The NSCN (I-M) commander was dismissive of the 31 October deadline.
“How can India impose a time-frame on us? We are not begging for anything, we are talking about our rights and India agreed to discuss things with our leader in 2015 (when the framework agreement was signed),” he said. “If the framework was signed with our leader, how can they now close the deal with other groups. We initiated the peace talks.”
He added that the morale of cadres was “high” despite the recent defections. The underground, self-styled “government” of the NSCN (I-M) was also still operational, he said.
“Before the talks started, we were told that the government might be dissolved and the structure might need to be dismantled in deference to the peace deal,” he said.
“But now we have been again instructed to hold our positions strongly. We are sure that our leader (Th. Muivah) will come back soon and guide us.”
Muivah, a Manipur-born Naga, led the NSCN (I-M) along with Nagaland-born Isak Swu until the latter’s death in 2016. He is currently in Delhi with the NSCN (I-M) leadership for the peace talks.
Despite the preparations, the commander said Wednesday, cadres “are still hopeful about today’s and tomorrow’s final meetings in Delhi”.
“We are still hopeful that our leaders and the interlocutor (Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi) will reach a consensus soon and bring something positive back home,” he added.
High on money, firepower & cadre strength
According to sources in the Nagaland and central security agencies, the NSCN (I-M), which has been involved in peace talks with the central government since 1997, is among the most influential, dreaded and powerful of the state’s underground groups in terms of money, firepower and cadre strength.
The underground group is said to have nine ‘army camps’ in Nagaland and six in Manipur, with the force following a structure and hierarchy similar to the Indian Army’s. It has three brigades and three battalions in Nagaland, and another five brigades and three battalions in Manipur, according to sources.
Government agencies estimate the NSCN (I-M) has close to 7,000 cadres, of which around 3,000 are armed with sophisticated weapons. Sources said, in the run-up to the peace accord deadline, some training is still underway at Hebron, located around 50 km away from Dimapur.
However, a senior police officer added that the cadres “might now look for hideouts and wait for sometime before taking any major decision”.
“They are likely to mix with common people and dump their weapons in some safer places as most of their senior leaders have joined hands with the NNPG,” the police officer said. The NNPG, the officer added, will now side with the government and the security forces if there is any armed conflict or confrontation following the peace accord.
Meanwhile, the seven armed outfits under the NNPG are also recruiting cadres and training them at their camps near Dimapur, the officer said.
As reported by ThePrint Wednesday evening, the central government has already beefed up security in the state, also seeking the Indian Army’s assistance to prevent law-and-order situations.
Both the military and paramilitary forces have been alerted and directed to be prepared for “all kinds of eventualities in the coming days”, said a senior CRPF officer.
Also Read: Nagas are worried a peace accord without NSCN (I-M) won’t bring real peace
We Nagas want peace not War,
Govt of India should be cautious and not be miscalculated about the Naga Armed Movement,India should allow to use Naga flag and constitution which is very dear to us,hope China will be out of this mess otherwise NSCN IM might be joining NSCN k and become mightier with the Chinese hand,and the suffering will be our Naga civilians,enough of civilian suffering since 1952 enough of killings in Naga soil..
We Nagas want peace not War,
Govt of India should be cautious and not be miscalculated about the Naga Armed Movement,India should allow to use Naga flag and constitution which is very dear to us,hope China will be out of this mess otherwise NSCN IM might be joining NSCN k and become mightier with the Chinese hand,and the suffering will be our Naga civilians,enough of civilian suffering since 1952 enough of killings in Naga soil..
The BJP came to power on the basis of a secret Naga Accord in 2015. Nobody knew the details. Now they are out, and obviously the Govt is backtracking post 370 abrogation in Kashmir. The Govt will pay a heavy price for its double standards and treachery. Will it now take a delegation of EU MPs to Nagaland? The Naga leadership should also eschew all forms of violence, as it does not solve any problems.
What angami are poor?what about Rio holding all the budget of nagaland😂😂😂where as movia holding budget of only nscn I’m 160 corr..
What angami are poor?what about Rio holding all the budget of nagaland😂😂😂where as movia holding budget of only nscn I’m 160 corr..
Was this round table peace talks held in case of Kashmir to bring consences among various stake holders …..
Oh yes Kashmir was a Muslim majority state and RSS and gov have different ideology
Back
NSCN M first let the nagas respond how all their kilonsers have palatial houses how their children are educated in Europe and America
Ofcourse on God’s help how their grand sounds ride BMWs and other high end cars . Whose money ? What stand does does the poor phom or konyak or angami or yimchumger have . Dear Shri muivah. U r a legitimate bastard of nagaland u r a tanghkul who is from manipur . Issac muivah is long dead u r a parasite u have sucked the blood of thousands and lacs of nagas with ur life style in Amsterdam .sir u eat apples in the name of the Lord. Sir have you ever seen the condition of ur brethens .ofphoms yimchumger angamis pochuries ?u r a ouaon to nagas first declare how you earned your properties all over the worldu tangkhul who is not recognisedas Naga in today’s nagaland
Without the deal with the most influential NSCN-IM the Indian government can’t expect peace from now on. The sentimental is the same. If the party doesn’t respect each other interest, once the fire start burning it will be impossible to doze off. They should be acceptable solution for both parties only then things will work out.
who said most of their senior leaders have joined Nnpgs. Only 16 in No. had joined out of hundreds. We are praying continuously to bring a permanent political solution once and for all.
Interlocutor RN Ravi rightly said.. “demand under the shadow of Gun”. Post 1975 Shillong Accord and formation of NSCN-IM in 1980, bloodshed mostly commited by this faction is elimination of Naga leaders in Nagaland, Naga-Kuki ethnic clash in Manipur 1992-94 which had cost thousands lives on both sides mainly perpetuated by this faction (territorial claims), aftermath small small unique tribals communities in Manipur had forcefully let to come under umbrella of Naga for its larger Pan Naga Dream! Print had mentioned NSCN-IM 5 brigades 3 battalion already in Manipur. Deep in forest and uphill where there’s no Govt administration, who will oppose NSCN-IM? People want peace, and inside their hearts peace from NSCN-IM! Yes Permanent peace must arrive but not at the cost of others.
As a matter of principle, Nagas also should not be allowed to have separate constitution and separate flag, as this was not allowed in Kashmir.