Insurgency / Nagaland

Kohima, May 19: Back home after four days in an NSCN (I-M) camp, author Kaka D. Iralu today said he had gone there at the militant group’s “invitation” and was not taken by force, as was being speculated. Iralu, the secretary of the A.Z. Phizo Birth Centenary Celebration Committee, went missing on Thursday and did not return home until Monday.

He was believed to have been abducted by the NSCN (I-M) because of its opposition to the centenary celebrations on May 16, which is observed as “national plebiscite day”.

The militant group said Phizo, who is acknowledged to be the pioneer of Naga...

KOHIMA, May 19 – Naga writer Kaka D Iralu, who was abducted on the eve of celebration of birth centenary of the pioneer of Naga political struggle late Angami Z Phizo, was released without any harm by NSCN(I-M) activists at Dimapur, police said here on Tuesday reports PTI.

Iralu, who was abducted from the capital town on May 14, was released at NSCN (I-M) ceasefire monitoring cell at Diphupar on Monday after holding him captive at the outfit’s headquarters “Hebron” near Dimapur. The writer was the secretary of birth centenary celebration committee which observed Phizo’s anniversary at Kohima...

Kohima, May 16: Over 5,000 people braved two blasts in Kohima and a warning from the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) to participate in the birth centennial of the pioneer of Naga insurgency, Angami Zapfu Phizo. The first explosion occurred around 8 am at the playground near which the centenary programme was to begin three hours later.

Another blast rocked the area after the event got under way as scheduled. Some people seated in one of the stands within the playground ran for cover on hearing the explosion, but returned within minutes.

Police said nobody was injured in the...

AIZAWL, May 16 – Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga Thursday expressed the hope that peace initiatives in the North East region would not be affected in the event of the Congress coming to power, reports PTI.

Zoramthanga, involved in the Naga peace deal and who is acting as the go-between the Centre and other insurgent groups of the region, said that Central leaders, who wanted national integrity would not derail the peace process that had been initiated during the NDA rule.

''Coalition politics have come to stay in the country and leaders in Delhi could never rule highandedly as in the...

Kohima, May 15: A controversy has erupted in Nagaland following conflicting stands taken by different organisations on celebration of A.Z. Phizo’s birth centenary tomorrow. An A.Z. Phizo Birth Centenary Committee headed by Thepf?lhouvie, who is associated with the Naga National Council (NNC) led by Phizo’s daughter Adinno Phizo, was formed a few months ago. The NSCN (I-M) had opposed the formation of the committee tooth and nail.

The Naga Hoho, which had maintained silence over the issue then, has tried to distance itself from the matter, adding to the confusion. The Hoho, in a statement...

Kohima, May 12: The attack on NSCN(K) leader Kughalo Mulatonu in Zunheboto town yesterday was more of a panic reaction from the rival NSCN(I-M) than a premeditated assassination attempt. The ceasefire supervisory board chairman, Lt Gen. (retd) R.V. Kulkarni, said as the NSCN (I-M) activists were taken by surprise by the sudden arrival of the Mulatonu and his team, they panicked and opened fire. “Neither the townspeople nor the NSCN(I-M) knew about the meeting. They suddenly tensed and reacted,” Gen. Kulkarni said.

The NSCN(K) leader, two kilonsers (ministers) and 20 members of the outfit had...

Kohima, May 11: Less than a year after its leaders from Ao-dominated Mokokchung defected to the Isak-Muivah group, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) today found itself further marginalised after its Chang region unit shifted allegiance en bloc to the rival camp.

Sources said NSCN (K) members from the Chang tribe formally joined the Isak-Muivah faction at a reconciliation meeting in Tuensang village. The outfit’s deputy kilonser (minister), Kughalo Mulatonu, got a scare around 4 pm yesterday when bullets fired by suspected NSCN (I-M) members narrowly missed him at Ambolo...

GOLAGHAT, May 8 – International underground organisations having links with militant outfits like the NSCN and the Karbi National Volunteer (KNV) have set up a market on the Assam-Nagaland border in Golaghat district to sell arms, drugs etc, to the local ultras.

Local people here alleged that extremist outfits, aided by international groups, have set up bases in the border areas from where they have extended their illegal trade in drugs and arms and ammunitions. Such anti-social activities have made life miserable for the people here.

It has also been alleged that militant outfits...

KOHIMA, May 6 – NSCN (IM) today refuted allegations that the outfit was involved in the election process in Nagaland but admitted that its cadre might take part in the electioneering at their individual capacity to support or oppose any contending candidate, reports PTI. Large-scale proxy voting, intimidation of voters marked Wednesday’s Lok Sabha polling in the State recording voters turnout at 80 to 85 per cent with Opposition Congress alleging that NSCN (IM) activists were threatening villagers to vote for ruling alliance candidate in the run up to the poll and the polling day.

In a...

KOHIMA, May 3 – Both the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) and the Opposition Congress, locked in keen contest for the lone Parliamentary seat, have tried their level best to capitalise on the vexed Naga political problem during the month-long campaign for the May 5 Lok Sabha poll, reports PTI. The election machineries as well as the political parties are expecting a peaceful polling for the first time in the recent years as underground militant organisations resolved neither to boycott nor indulge in the election process in the State.

Unlike in the past, no reports of any...