Deposes before tribunal that NSCN(K) intensified violence at the behest of neighbouring country

For the first time, the Centre has admitted officially that the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), named after its Myanmar-based leader S.S. Khaplang, intensified violence in the Northeast in 2015 at the behest of the Chinese.

The admission was made in depositions by the Centre and other States before a tribunal set up early this year to adjudicate the ban on the insurgent outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The full order of the tribunal, which upheld the decision to ban the outfit for five years, has neither been posted online nor publicised.

The order reveals that Nagaland was the only State which was not in favour of declaring the NSCN-K an unlawful association and sought a “peaceful political solution”. Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur supported the ban.

It was in September 2015, the Centre moved to ban the NSCN-K following which the tribunal under the UAPA, led by Delhi High Court judge Najmi Waziri, was set up.

On February 12, when the tribunal was hearing the case in Gangtok, Sikkim, the Ministry of Home Affairs made a written submission that the NSCN-K “obtained assistance from anti-India forces in other countries to procure arms…in its struggle for the creation of a separate State,” the only direct reference to foreign help to the outfit.

In a background note submitted to the tribunal, the Ministry said: “The government has also been informed that, at the behest of the Chinese, various north-eastern insurgent groups met in April 2015 in Myanmar to form a revolutionary front under the leadership of S.S. Khaplang, self-styled chairman of the NSCN-K, and the outfit smuggled weapons into India and intensified violence in the North-east, particularly targeting security forces.”

The NSCN(K) broke the 14-year ceasefire with the Centre on March 27 last year. Thereafter, the outfit launched a string of attacks, including an ambush that killed 18 soldiers in Manipur on June 9 last.

“According to the Central government, the NSCN-K is professed to violent activities; its violent profile is etched by violent activities after abrogation of the ceasefire, which includes indiscriminate firing upon the personnel of Assam Rifles… The NSCN-K is in the process of mobilising its cadre from the Indo-Myanmar border under the direct supervision of Niki Sumi, its self-styled Lt. General. Suspected cadre of the NSCN-K have launched major offences against security forces, including the assault on the leaders and cadre of rival groups and on business establishments in Kohima, Dimapur and Mokochung,” the tribunal order records.

“According to the government’s intelligence report of April 2015, 130 cadres of NSCN-K were camping across the Myanmar border with the intention to assault Assam Rifles personnel and attacking their outposts at Longwa village in Mon district, while another armed group of 30-40 cadres was found to be proceeding towards Chenmoho in Mon district from its general headquarters at Throillo in Myanmar. It is the government’s view that the NSCN-K has been aiding and sheltering other unlawful groups such as ULFA, NDFB and CorCom, particularly at their bases in Myanmar. According to the background note, the NSCN-K has sizeable detachments in Myanmar at various camps located in Momkho, Khamlao, Lunglawng, Nyanching, Ganyo General area, Lahe, Kachin sub-division, Shagot, Lahbon, Liglimkan, Maimong, Tonnyu and Taga area, where its leaders and cadres are using the camps as a command centre and for training the cadre. The NSCN-K has its cadre strength of around 700-800 militants who bear sophisticated weapons, including rocket launchers. S.S. Khaplang, Niki Sumi and others are stated to be based in Myanmar,” it goes on to state.