Diphupar abduction due to unresolved tax issue—Niki

DIMAPUR — In the face of mounting public criticism over the alleged involvement of its members in the abduction of two youth from Diphupar, the president of NSCN/GPRN (K), Gen (Retd.) Niki Sumi claimed that the two employees were taken in to help connect with the proprietor since the latter was not responding to calls.

Addressing a press conference at the ceasefire monitoring office in Padampukhuri, Dimapur, on Oct. 12, he said that the owner had not paid ‘tax’ to the group for about three years. Since he was not responding to their calls, they took in the driver and the distributor and asked them to help connect with their employer, he said.

Also read: Diphupar abduction: Dimapur Police gets 48-hour deadline to arrest culprits

According to him, this was an issue that could have been resolved between them without involving the police. He said that the two employees were released on the same day after the ‘collector assured to speak with the owner’.

He said that if the Dimapur Ao Youth Organisation (DAYO) asks him to take action as per the law of his group, then we will negotiate with them. But since the DAYO is seeking actions under ‘Indian laws’, he said that he won’t compromise.  

He said that if they are talking about his cadre, they should not involve police since they are still in ceasefire agreement, but speak with him or the ceasefire chairman and negotiate, he added.

Niki went on to claim that too many Naga intellectuals were working as ‘Indian agents’ in Nagaland, especially after the signing of the Framework Agreement (FA).

According to him, too many Naga intellectuals were against the FA and the over-ground leadership started lobbying for creation of new factions. He said that the multiplication of factions is the handiwork of over-ground frontal organisations, hohos and CSOs.

“In reality, if the Nagas want to become a true nation, they should only form Naga Hoho, Naga Mothers’ Association, Naga GB association, Nagaland Students’ Federation, and these are enough,” he said.

Niki said that at the present, even a community organisation is not ‘afraid’ of Naga Hoho, and ‘this will lead to downfall’. He also said that the blame for the ‘failure of Framework Agreement’ lies with the over-ground groups, not the underground outfits.

Referring to Naga intellectuals, who according to him always talk about ‘UGs breaking Indian laws and Articles’, Niki stated that Nagas did not want to be under Indian law and that’s why the Naga political movement was started.

According to him, laws for Nagas will come into being after achieving solution and it will be best if Nagas do not use the Articles and laws under Indian Constitution.

He said that the Naga groups have their own laws and lamented that when their members ‘commit crime’, the over-ground workers want the police to arrest and take action on them as per the Indian laws.

“In every situation, Nagas are opportunists and there are too many Indian agents,” he said, citing that in every Naga rally, the speakers only talk about applying Indian Articles and laws on the members of Naga political groups.

Niki also said that “one government, one tax” can be implemented in the state only when all the unions and CSOs unite and become one.

Dimapur youths give CFMG 48-hour deadline HIGHLIGHT

Sixteen Dimapur-based tribal youth organisations held a meeting on October 12, at Hotel Saramati in Dimapur, and decided to give a representation to the Ceasefire Monitoring Group requesting for prompt intervention in arresting the culprit from the Niki-led NSCN (K).

Accordingly, the youth organisations set a 48-hour window for the CFMG to apprehend the culprit involved in the case.

During the meeting, the youth groups resolved to immediately form an interim Dimapur-based youth tribal body until a full-fledged Dimapur-based tribal youth organisation is formed in consultation with Dimapur-based tribal apex bodies.

Further, they demand to install CCTV in an around Dimapur, and also the removal of designated camps from public areas at the earliest.

They also resolved to support the Naga Council Dimapur stand on ‘one government, one tax’.