Top commanders of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) are said to be camping along Indo-Myanmar border, reports Nagaland Post on November 21. Phungting Shimrang, former ‘army chief’ and senior member of the NSCN (I-M), has reportedly gone to Yunnan province in China with two of his trusted comrades. According to a leader of NSCN-Khaplang (NSCN-K) Yung Aung faction “Phungting and his two comrades reached China via eastern Nagaland (Naga self-administered areas in Myanmar) in the second half of October. The three leaders are trying to talk to the Chinese authorities for aid in their fight against India.” He also added that “NSCN (I-M) (army chief) Anthony Shimray has also left the outfit’s headquarters camp in Hebron and is staying in an undisclosed location along the India-Myanmar border”. News 18 further adds that NSCN-K leader stated that “NSCN-IM chief Anthony Shimray has also left the outfit’s headquarters camp in Hebron and is staying in an undisclosed location along the India-Myanmar border. More than 3,000 cadres of the IM faction have been were camping in the border areas since October”.
Moreover, United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) ‘chief’ Paresh Baruah, “Phungting Shimrang will not return to Camp Hebron along with his comrades, adds News 18. They have realised that GoI is not ready to give more power to the Nagas, especially as far as the flag and constitution are concerned. Hence, they are ready to fight again”. He also added that “Nowadays, the situation and atmosphere have changed. The young leadership of the Isak-Muivah and Khaplang factions of the NSCN are trying to reach an understanding...”
NSCN-IM on November 21 denied that they were conducting forceful recruitment, during a meeting with Cease Fire Monitoring Group (CFMG) in Kohima, reports Eastern Mirror. The issue of recruitment and the need for better understanding between NSCN (IM) and the security forces were the major talking points of the meeting.
Earlier, on November 20 following a CFMG meeting with NSCN-Khango faction, NSCN-Unification (NSCN-U) and NSCN-Reformation (NSCN-R), two groups were confident/hopeful of an “outcome by this year, that too, before Christmas”, reports Eastern Mirror. NSCN-U stated that a solution will be signed before Christmas, while NSCN-K (Khango faction) stated that agreement could be signed “by this year.