The decision was taken after a marathon meeting of the national hoho(national assembly) of the outfit comprising of its national affairs political committee, council of kilonsers (ministers), tatars (MPs) and functionaries from both army and the regional councils at Khehoi camp near Dimapur Tuesday.
A senior GPRN/NSCN functionary said the impeachment of Khaplang was on “expected lines’ after allegations that he made unilateral decisions from his camp in Myanmar’s Pangmi region, without consulting the outfit’s other leaders at Khehoi camp. He said Khaplang also violated the Yehzabo on many occasions.
The national hoho of the GPRN/NSCN also took strong exception to SS Khaplang’s unresponsive attitude to initiate talks with the government of India and remaining aloof to the call of the Nagas for holding talks among the leaders at the ‘highest level’ as enunciated by the Forum of Naga Reconciliation (FNR).
It was pointed out that SS Khaplang, after signing the Covenant of Reconciliation (CoR) on June 13, 2009 with Isak Chishi Swu, chairman, NSCN/GPRN; Brig. (Rtd) S Singnya, president, FGN/NNC in Chingmai, Thailand remained elusive to the subsequent reconciliation meets.
“We have sent special delegation and feelers to Khaplang but he refused to heed to the call and cry of the Nagas yearning for peace and unity” a kilonser speaking on anonymity told this correspondent. Left with no option, the national hoho moved a resolution to impeach Khaplang from chairmanship, in the larger interests of the Nagas so as to pursue the desired goal of the people, said the kilonser.
Another factor which the national hoho considered for Khaplang’s impeachment was that he made appointments to both civil and army wings without taking into confidence nor consulting any other leaders at Khehoi camp.
The meeting Tuesday also re-designated Khehoi designated camp as the new council headquarters. Khaplang ran the outfit from the council and general headquarters from the jungles of Myanmar.
This would effectively mean that henceforth, all decisions pertaining to the GPRN/NSCN will be taken at its Khehoi council headquarters.
Sources said that following the decision, Khaplang was likely to cadres of the erstwhile NSCN (K) comprising of Nagas of Myanman as he still commands considerable influence in eastern Nagaland and also as host to various militant outfits of the north east.
Tuesday’s developments point to likely realignment of forces among Naga national groups besides the future of north east militants in Myanmar.
It may be noted, that gun runners dealing in multi billion dollar sale of Chinese weapons use Myanmar territory to transport weapons to India.
Meanwhile asked to comment on the development within the NSCN (K), a senior leader of the rival, NSCN (I-M) echoed the points raised by the leaders of the GPRN/NSCN that Khaplang was not cooperating with the efforts of the ongoing Naga reconciliation process initiated by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and supported by Naga organizations and international groups.
He said several attempts to have Khaplang attend the meetings failed.
He said it was necessary that Khaplang should have been involved in the ongoing political process as he still controlled vast areas in Myanmar and providing shelter to many Northeast outfits which the NSCN/GPRN considered as ‘anti-Naga” groups.
He said the split in the Khaplang group would not be a plus point for the NSCN/GPRN as Khehoi campers lack political agenda for the people. He however asserted that the reconciliation process would continue.
Twenty-three years after the first split in NSCN in 1988 which led to the existence of two factions- NSCN (K) and NSCN (I-M)-the latest development was most likely to witness the existence of three NSCN groups though the abbreviation of Khaplang’s group was not yet known.
~Nagaland Post
Photo Credit:Eastern Mirror
