Internal conflict erupts within NSCN (IM)

KOHIMA — An internal conflict appears to have emerged within the ranks of the NSCN (IM) as ‘military officers’ within the group have accused its chief of not serving in the interest of Naga movement. However, this claim has been labelled as an ‘act of mutiny.’

On March 30, as many as 14 military leaders from the Eastern Flank of the Naga Army, of the NSCN (IM), wrote an ‘open letter’ to the NSCN/GPRN Yaruiwo (President), declaring that they would “no longer subject to the command of the Longvibu (Commandant-in-Chief) of Naga Army”.

“It is imperative to make our position clear that in order to save the nation from another crisis, we will not remain dormant to this precarious situation that is placing the Naga political movement to a very dangerous and uncertain position,” read the letter.

The 14 leaders include deputy Longvibu ‘Lieut. Gen.’ A Raman, ‘Brigadier’ Y Raleng and ‘Brigadier’ T Vongdochu, among others. The current Longvibu is Anthony Ningkhan Shimray.

According to the 14 leaders, Shimray, upon release from prison in 2016, reportedly proclaimed publicly that he had been conditionally released to bring the other armed groups of North-east India into the ‘mainstream’.

Perceiving this as a “reflection of the Interest of India and not that of our supreme Naga cause,” they alleged that the army chief had, in 2018, colluded with ‘our adversary’ and sent an invitation to ‘Lieut. Gen. Retd.’ Hs. Ramsan to return from his ‘good-will mission’.

“At such a juncture when he (Ramsan) was tasked with an important mission to salvage the cause of our nation that was directly boosting the very peace process, and also at a time where arrest warrants had been issued against him by our adversary,” such an invitation is “plainly a plot by our adversary which is diligently dispensed by the Longvibu,” it claimed.

“Then, is not the Longvibu of Naga Army an agent of the Gol?” the letter added.

They went on to list several other instances where Shimray allegedly worked against the Naga movement, such as the withdrawal of the ‘Alee command’ in Bangladesh in 2018, failure to counter the government of India’s three-month ultimatum in 2019, and using his position towards bringing revolutionary north-east groups to the mainstream, among others.

The officers claimed that he was “questionably assigned” as the Indo-Naga Peace Talk Coordinator, and has been actively going for political campaigns, “with false narrative that Pan Naga Hoho is the manifestation of Naga Sovereignty”.

“…as an individual released on bail by the NIA (National Investigation Agency) yet conferred the position of Longvibu, and having considered his actions, we are certain that he is working diligently for the selfish interest of the Government of India,” the officers asserted.

Further justifying their decision, they went on to state that Shimray had “unjustifiably shut down” the office of the deputy Longvibu of the Eastern Flank and frozen financial sanctions.

The 14 officers appealed to all the national workers and the Nagas to “rise up against such betrayal”.

Countering the claims, the office of the adjutant general (AG), general headquarters, Naga Army, sought “instant disciplinary action” against the 14 officers for an “act of mutiny”.

In a letter addressed to the Yaruiwo of NSCN (IM), on April 2, the AG, ‘Lieut. Gen.’ L Wungyip and six other ‘major generals’ including three OSDs to Longbivu claimed that the ‘open letter’ was “not acceptable in the existing law of the nation”.

It reminded the Yaruiwo that prior communications regarding the alleged acts of mutiny were shared with his office on Oct. 3, 2023. However, before initiation of any concrete actions against the mutineers, another ‘viral open letter’ has emerged.

Among others, it claimed that many of the signatures of the letter are “forgeries and not consistent with their previous signatures, which clearly points to it being the handiwork of a few egoistic individuals”.

“It is an act of felony for deliberately defiling the order of His Excellency the Yaruiwo by denouncing not to co-operate and go against the command of the Longvibu, Naga Army, which is clearly an act of mutiny and against the principle of Naga nation,” the counter letter stated.

Further, it stated that the deputy Longvibu had earlier staged two military coups– in Dec. 7, 2023 when the Southern Command and Central National Security Command (CNSC) of Naga Army were completely disarmed and held captive, and again on Feb. 26, 2024 in Hoyat village in eastern Nagaland, where the deputy Longvibu along with 35 armed personnel attempted to raid the Vida Mountain Division Peace Mission Command, Naga Army.

Claiming that the officers were “constantly staging mutiny,” it said, “this action has gone down to the level of utmost dejection by starting signatures campaign with whatsoever motive and various fictitious reasons to tarnish the image of Longvibu, Naga Army which only proved his nefarious activities and ill intentions toward the cause of Naga nation”.

In light of these ‘treasonous reasons,’ the AG and the other officers stated their collective view that the deputy Longvibu’s acts and steps were ‘uncalled for,’ and sought for “stringent and exemplary disciplinary actions at the earliest before the situation gets out of control”.