Despite a long-standing ceasefire agreement between the Central government and the two major terrorist factions in Nagaland--the National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), whose General Secretary, Thuengaling Muivah, was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 19, 2000, and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) – the State continued to suffer widespread terrorist violence and a regime of abduction and extortion that has acquired an institutionalised character. In the first six months of 2000 (until June 28), 114 incidents of terrorist violence were reported. The numbers of terrorists, security force personnel and civilians killed during this period were 52, four and five, respectively.
On April 9, the NSCN-K announced a formal ceasfire with the Central government and indicated its willingness to hold peace talks with the Centre. Subsequently, security forces decided to unilaterally suspend operations against the NSCN-K for a period of six months starting from April 16. The Central government and NSCN-IM, on July 31, agreed to extend the ongoing cease-fire for another year from August 1 and move forward with the peace process to bring lasting political solution to the Naga issue. The decision was taken at talks held in Bangkok on July 29 and 30.
Throughout 1999, several violations of the ground rules of the ceasefire agreement were reported. The total number of incidents in 1999 had risen to 294 as compared to 202 in the preceding year.
NOTE: Figures for 2000 till June 28.
The number of lives lost due to terrorist violence in the State rose to 148 in 1999 from 109 in 1998. The number of terrorists killed increased to 118 in 1999 from 69 in 1998. However, the number of security force personnel killed had come down to four in 1999 as compared to 14 in 1998. The number of civilians killed in 1999 was 26, which was the same as last year. The number of terrorists who surrendered to the authorities declined to 6 in 1999 as compared to 36 in 1998. In addition, the number of arms looted in 1999 increased to 15 from 13 during the preceding year. The total number of arms recovered in 1999 was 16 as compared to 18 in 1998.
Despite this rising indicators of violence, the Centre has shown a reluctance towards taking strong action against terrorism in the State and its overflow into bordering districts of other States. This stance appears to be aimed at preventing any jeopardy to the ‘peace process’. The element of caution displayed by the government and security forces has created a wider space for the consolidation of the power and activities of terrorist groupings in their respective spheres of influence, where, in many cases, an elaborate parallel government apparatus has been set up, levying ‘taxes’ that are often many multiples of the official (State government’s) taxes. Most violence is, consequently, connected with intense and brutal turf wars between various terrorist groups and factions.
The Naga movement dates back to the time of India's Independence and has already resulted in the loss of over 20,000 lives. In addition to the NSCN-IM and the NSCN-K, the Naga National Council (NNC), led by Adino Phizo also exists in the State.
The Central government has been conducting separate and direct negotiations with the two factions of the NSCN. Ground rules for the cease fire with the NSCN-K are yet to be formulated. In the case of its rival faction, a ceasefire monitoring cell, Ceasefire Monitoring Group Office (CMGO), comprising representatives of the Central government and the NSCN-IM, under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary, Union Home Ministry meets periodically to take stock of the situation.
However, the Centre has accused the NSCN-IM of using the ceasefire to strengthen itself and regroup its scattered cadres. According to intelligence reports, the NSCN-IM has actively engaged in recruitment and acquisition of sophisticated weapons in its efforts to consolidate its position in the State and in Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur.
The IM faction also took advantage of the ceasefire with the army to settle scores with its arch-rival – the Khaplang faction. On June 2, 1999, the IM faction announced a "general amnesty" of 45 days for the activists of the NSCN-K, who ignored the offer. On August 19, terrorists belonging to the IM faction killed Dally Mungro, General Secretary of the Khaplang faction, and two of his comrades in Kohima district. At least three others were killed in two separate factional fights in Phek district on August 22 and 24, and an activist of the IM faction was killed and five injured in a prolonged gun-battle at Mokokchung town on August 26.
This fratricidal killing poses the most serious threat to security and stability in the State. Since the ceasefire between the Centre and the NSCN-IM began in August 1997, 314 cadres belonging to both groups have been killed in factional fighting and 237 activists have been kidnapped by rival groups.
The two factions of NSCN are engaged in a bitter struggle over differences with regard to their respective ‘spheres of influence’. The Khaplang faction operates in the Indo-Myanmar border areas, whereas the IM group is active mostly in interior Nagaland and the hill districts of Manipur.
The NSCN-IM also carried out large-scale extortion and ‘tax collection’ throughout the year. Terrorists belonging to this faction carried out a number of kidnappings and other acts of coercion and intimidation. In the first week of October, they abducted four Ao tribal leaders from Tsurang valley, Mokokchung district.
This group also issued a call to boycott elections to the thirteenth Lok Sabha (Parliamentary) in October 1999. NSCN-IM terrorists tried to disrupt the poll process by resorting to widespread intimidation. Terrorists of the outfit opened fire in parts of Kohima, Dimapur, Zunebhoto and Phek districts in order to scare away voters. In Juluake, the outfit assaulted voters and in Bhandari and Cheiphobozou they prevented voters from casting their votes. Nevertheless, the turnout of an overwhelming 76 per cent of voters was an indication that the support base of the NSCN-IM was dwindling.
The Chief Minister of Nagaland, S.C. Jamir, narrowly escaped an attempt on his life when suspected NSCN-IM terrorists blew up three vehicles of his convoy, killing two policemen, near Pherema, about 45 km from Kohima, on November 29. The terrorists had planted as many as 14 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) over 150 metres on National Highway 39. These were detonated one after another by remote control when Jamir’s convoy passed over this stretch. The attack on Jamir, who had earlier survived three attempts on his life, amply demonstrates the fragile nature of the qualified peace that has been negotiated in the State by the Centre. The latest attack on Jamir is, moreover, being perceived as another consequence of the fierce rivalry between the two NSCN factions. The IM faction has often accused Jamir of supporting the Khaplang faction.
After the assassination attempt on Jamir, the Centre decided to redeploy security forces in those areas of Nagaland which were affected by terrorist activity with directives to come down heavily on all violations of the agreed ground rules of the ceasefire agreement.
The Centre’s decision to adopt strong measures comes less than a week after K. Padmanabhaiah, its principal interlocutor for peace talks with the NSCN-IM, resumed political dialogue with the top leadership of the terrorist group. Padmanabhaiah met Muivah and Swu in Bangkok in the last week of November for the first round of talks after the installation of a new government in New Delhi.
Following the attack on the Nagaland Chief Minister, the CMGO in Dimapur was closed. Security forces complained that the NSCN-IM was misusing the Office and was threatening people and carrying out extortions and other activities from the office. The NSCN-IM denied these charges and threatened to sever ties with the Centre if the CMGO was not reopened immediately.
One of the most significant developments in 1999 was the visit to their homeland of two top leaders of the NSCN-IM – Isak Chisi Swu and Thuengaling Muivah. They returned to Nagaland openly after an absence of 33 years. The two leaders, who had formed a consultative committee of 100 representatives of different sections of the Nagas, called a three-day meeting from May 31 to June 2 at Niuland, about 30 km from Dimapur. Delegates included representatives of Naga Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), political parties, the Church, and the Naga Hoho - the apex tribal councils. Apart from asserting the supremacy of the NSCN-IM, the meeting was also intended to establish this faction’s control of public opinion on the issue of negotiations with New Delhi. At the meeting, NSCN-IM leaders maintained that their demand for Naga sovereignty was not negotiable and that they were not prepared to unify with factions like the NSCN-K and would not even recognise their existence.
However, the Central government was categorical on the point that there would be no compromise on the country’s sovereignty, unity and integrity in any possible solution to the Naga problem. The Centre has also consistently opposed the NSCN-IM demand for the creation of a "greater Nagaland" - comprising Naga-inhabited areas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. It has been conveyed to the NSCN-IM that this demand could not even be considered as the State Assemblies of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur had adopted unanimous resolutions opposing the integration of their Naga-inhabited areas with Nagaland. All these issues have remained unresolved and several rounds of peace talks with the NSCN-IM have made little headway.