Nagaland Timeline - 2012

January 2

NSCN-K militants opened fire injuring two civilians, Lüsüla (15) and Malüfü (26), in Reguri Village in Phek District.

January 3

NSCN-K has written to the MHA to take action against the "Kehoi campers" (GPRN/NSCN- Khole Kitovi) for alleged violation of ceasefire ground rules.

January 4

Central Government is closely monitoring the activities of NSCN-IM which is likely to field some proxy candidates in the coming Manipur Assembly elections as 'General Secretary' Thuingaleng Muivah and senior leader V S Atem of the group held a prolonged meeting with Naga Hoho and at least six MLA of the Nagaland People's Front in Dimapur.

January 5

Naga Hoho (Apex body of Nagas in Nagaland) asked NSCN-K to revoke the notice against Sumi Hoho (Apex body of Sumi Tribe) 'vice president' Kitoho Rothoka.

NSCN-K urged the Civil Society members not interfere with the internal functioning of the organization. In a statement issued by the outfit it stated "The internal matters of NSCN-K should be left uninterrupted so long the opinions and views of the people concerned are not sought or in other words the civil societies are asked to do a thorough background check of any issue, acquire basic content and context of the nature of the issue".

January 6

Militant groups operating in the Northeast have realised that violence will never pay and the only way to solve their problems is peace negotiations, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said.

Chidambaram said peace agreements have been signed by the Government with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in West Bengal, UPDS in Assam and again it was on the verge of concluding another agreement with at least two groups in Assam.

He said most of the Northeast was today conflict-free and there was no violence in most parts of Northeast as 2011 witnessed a new low in the level of violence where in all states together there were only 627 incidents in which 70 civilians and 32 Security Force personnel were killed.

The Home Minister, however, said there were still some areas of concern that include extortion and occasional kidnapping for extortion.

Sumi Hoho (apex body of the Sumi tribe) 'Vice-President' Kitoho Rotokha resigned from his post. NSCN-K had recently asked 'vice-president' of Sumi Hoho, Kitoho Rotokha to resign immediately or face "dire consequences", alleging that Kitoho was siding with the Khole-Kitovi faction of NSCN.

ZUF released an NSCN-IM cadre, 'sergeant major' Meikiurou Kamei alias Charlis (40), who was caught by the ZUF cadres from Awangkhun in Tamenglong District on January 1.

State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio denied MHA's recent accusation that the Government [NPF led] allowed a meeting of its legislators and top NSCN I-M leaders to discuss candidates for Manipur Assembly elections.

Naga women bodies including Naga Women Hoho, Dimapur (NWHD), Sumi Totimi Hoho (STH) Nagaland and Western Sumi Totomi Hoho (WSTH) Dimapur, expressing "unhappiness towards the false allegation" against Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur Husheli Sema by NSCN-K, appealed the group to "desist" from such accusations. NSCN-K had recently accused the DC of 'fund diversion.

Three Civilians were injured and a house was set ablaze during a clash between NSCN-IM and NSCN-K at Chasa village in Tirap District. The clashes have now stopped after arrival of Security Forces in the area.

NSCN Khole-Kitovi on the issue of 'Frontier Nagaland State' warned ENPO with exemplary punishment if the organisation (ENPO) did not stop its "evil designs". ENPO is agitating for the creation of a separate state of Frontier Nagaland comprising Mon, Kiphire, Longleng and Tuensang Districts and has refused to cooperate with NSCN Khole-Kitovi.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram denied permission to NSCN-IM to travel to Zunheboto District, the hometown of their Chairman Isaac Chishi Swu, under their own security. As the Ministry wants them to visit under Government security citing risk to lives of their leaders from rival groups, the issue saw some heated exchanges between the NSCN-IM and Government representatives in Nagaland.

NSCN-IM and NSCN-K resorted to firing at the Mudoi-Morong area Gelekey, near Assam-Nagaland border with regard to collection of fund from the labourers. No casualties however, were reported.

NSCN-IM "kilo ministry" has reportedly issued orders to all its regional authorities-- central administrative officers (CAOs) --across "Nagalim" to observe 12-hour bandh (general shutdown strike) (from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) on January 17 to show what they described resentment against the Government of India's imposition that prevented collective leadership from visiting Zunheboto .

NSCN-IM 'general secretary' Thuingaleng Muivah has alleged that the Centre was trying to keep out the Naga people from the peace process by preventing the outfit from interacting with their people. The NSCN-IM accused New Delhi of violating the ceasefire ground rules.

Security Forces arrested five top cadres of NSCN-K from Athibung area in Peren District of Nagaland. SFs recovered sophisticated arms and ammunition from them. The four cadres are still in the custody of Assam Rifles. Another NSCN-K cadre, identified as Isak Sumi, was also arrested along with the other four but was later released as he had an identity card issued by the Centre.

NSCN-Khaplang overran the designated camp of the rival group, NSCN-Khole-Kitovi at Athibung town in Peren District killing a cadre of NSCN-Khole Kitovi during the attack. Athibung has remained a stronghold of the undivided NSCN-K till it split in June, 2011. Later over 70 heavily armed cadres of the NSCN-Khole-Kitovi surrounded the camp of the rival group at Athibung town in the District.

During the annual Home Secretary-level meet between India and Myanmar at Naypyitaw which is to take place on January 19, a joint strategy to deal with Northeast Indian militant groups, smuggling of drugs, arms and ammunition will be high on the agenda.

NSCN-K member in the Cease Fire Supervisory Board, Wangtin Naga, termed the attack on the Athibung designated camp at Peren District by NSCN-Khole-Kitovi faction as a violation of cease fire ground rules.

Nagaland saw a peaceful and near total shutdown of shops and business establishments following the 12-hour shut down call by NSCN-IM across "Nagalim" (Naga inhabited areas) in protest against the 'conditions' imposed on the visit of Isak and Muivah, planned for January 13-15 to Zunheboto District.

The NSCN-IM said that the ongoing peace process has been severely affected by the recent developments imposing 'conditions' on the visit of the collective leadership of the NSCN-IM to Nagaland by the Centre. Convener of the steering committee of the NSCN-IM, 'General' (Retd) V S Atem slammed the Centre's directive imposing 'conditions' on the collective leadership's visit to Zunheboto District and termed it an "unjustified imposition".

NSCN-K has reiterated its stance that it would not be involved in the "Indian election" process under any circumstances stating that it had nothing to do with "Naga national politics.

A senior functionary of the NSCN-K, identified as Ghukato Assumi, was killed by the rival NSCN-Khole-Kitovi faction in a factional clash at Zunheboto District. He was the deputy kilonser (minister) of the NSCN-Khaplang who had worked with Khaplang for over two decades.

A cadre of the NSCN-K, identified as 'second lieutenant' Athui Rongmai, was killed in the Athibung designated camp in a factional clash in Peren District by NSCN-Khole-Kitovi faction.

During the Home Secretary level meeting between the two countries Myanmar has assured India that steps would be taken against the Northeastern militants using its territory.

Myanmar has sought India's help for implementation of several road projects, which would facilitate free movement of the troops to the areas where the militants are taking shelter. Myanmar has also sought India's help in completing the trilateral highway linking India, Myanmar and Thailand.

Reacting to the recent spate of factional violence that have created "public disillusionment", FNR urged "those involved" in the confrontation to address the "pressing issues and circumstances" that have precipitated it.

Though during their pre-Christmas meeting with Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi, NSCN-IM 'chairman' Isak Chisi Swu and 'general secretary' Thuingaleng Muivah had expressed the hope that the six decade old Naga issue would be resolved, recent developments have raised question about the fate of talks, reports The Sentinel. According to reports, the NSCN-IM leaders are virtually under house arrest at the direction of the Centre.

NSCN-Khole-Kitovi said that it would not 'interfere' in the forthcoming Manipur assembly elections.

In another skirmish in of factional feud between NSCN-K and NSCN-Khole-kitovi in Kohima District, an NSCN-K 'commander' and his son were injured.

A senior NSCN-IM member Anthony Shimray, who was arrested by NIA at Kathmandu Airport, Nepal in 2010, and currently lodged at Tihar central jail, New Delhi, has conveyed that he would begin "hunger strike" by the last week of January to protest against the NIA and the Government of India's policy to detain him longer in prison.

Nagaland continues to be tense with the factional feud between NSCN-K and NSCN-Khole-Kitovi intensifying during the past few days. In a renewed spate of violence, the two rival NSCN groups clashed at Zunheboto District injuring one cadre of the Khole-Kitovi faction.

Bhutan 'Prime Minister' Jigme Y Thinley said that there is no camp of any militant formation of the northeast in his country. He further asserted that Security Forces are on alert to thwart any such potential attempts by the militants.

NSCN-IM has called for a 36-hours total shutdown starting from 6 AM January 25 to 6 PM January 26, in all Naga inhabited areas. The shutdown would cover "all Naga inhabited areas and vehicular movement restricted". It would affect all public institutions including educational and commercial establishments except media houses, hospitals and pharmacies. It has requested the public "to extent full cooperation". NSCN-IM in a statement stated, due to "deliberate violation of ceasefire ground rules by government of India, violation of human rights by disallowing the collective leadership from visiting Zunheboto, deployment of security forces around designated Hebron camp without any provocation and placing unacceptable terms and conditions for the collective leadership to accept" has compelled the NSCN-IM to impose the shutdown.

Jailed NSCN-IM leader Anthony Shimray who was arrested in 2010 from Nepal has threatened to begin a hunger strike at Tihar Jail, seeking his "unconditional release as he is also a member of peace talks". In a letter dated January 18, the NSCN-IM leader said the hunger strike is also for removal of every hindrance blocking peace. "Since the Indo-Naga peace talks is not under law/court of India, any member of NSCN involved in peace talks must not stand trial," he argued and asked the NIA to withdraw cases framed against him.

State Government cautioned the MHA, Government of India and expressed apprehension that the setting up of a designated camp of AANLA militants along the Assam-Nagaland might affect peace in the disputed border areas. Earlier, on January 22 the newspaper has reported that All AANLA has already started a training camp in the foothill between Chandalashung 'B' and New Chandalashung in Ralan area under Wokha District along the interstate border. The report further states that the training started during the month of October 2011 and it was estimated that the number of CPI-Maoist trainees in the camp was around 300.

NSCN-K had asked Khole-Kitovi faction of NSCN-Khole Kitovi to "immediately re-deposit", more than 50 stolen .303 rifles from "GHQ Armor" [General Head Quarters] back to GHQ within 30 days. Further, NSCN-K has threatened action against both NSCN-Khole Kitovi and their family members.