Ethnic Conflict in Nagaland, Nagalim & Assam Controversy

 Imran Hussain Al Ameen , MA , LL.B

 JORHAT

THE CONFLICT :

The ethnic conflict in Nagaland, in northeastern India, is an ongoing conflict fought between the ethnic Nagas and the governments of India and Myanmar. Nagaland inhabited by the Nagas is located at the tri-junction border of India on the West and South, north and Myanmar on the East.
Naga terrirtory" existed with "Full Sovereignty" before the advent of the British colonial expansionism in 1881. In 1947, the people of India and the Naga territory became independent from British rule. As early as January 10, 1929, Naga had informed the British government that they would not join the Union of India. Nagaland declared independence on 14th of August 1947, one day before India gets independence from the British. After India regain sovereignty from British colonial rule on 15th-August-1947, India included Nagaland which was previously known as Naga Hills (an independent nation) as part of Assam. The existing Nagaland state is only a small part of Naga Hills and huge portion of Naga Hills was/is placed in Manipur, Assam and Arunachal. The land of Nagas was divided among two countries, India and Myanmar. "National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang)", which wants an independent "greater Nagaland" to include territory now in Myanmar, based on ethnicity; and the "Naga National Council (Adino)".

The question of "Naga Sovereignty" was put to plebiscite on May 16, 1951. In order to defend themselves, the Naga after much deliberation formed the armed wing of NNC, came to be known as NSG (Naga Safe Guards) under Kaito Sukhai.

Nagaland Rebels:

Several rebel groups have operated in Nagaland since the mid-twentieth century, including the following:

*Naga National Council, a political organization active in the late 1940s and early 1950s, which became separatist under Angami Zapu Phizo.

*Naga National Council (Adino) – NNC (Adino): the oldest political Naga organisation, now led by the daughter of Naga rebel A.Z. Phizo.

*'National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah)': formed on January 31, 1980 by Isak Chishi Swu, Thuingaleng Muivah and S. S. Khaplang . They want to establish a ‘Greater

* Nagaland (‘Nagalim’ or the People’s Republic of Nagaland) based on Mao Tse Tung’s model.

* National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang)': formed on April 30, 1988, its goal is to establish a ‘greater Nagaland’ based on ethnicity, comprising the Naga-dominated areas within India, and contiguous areas in Myanmar.

* Naga Federal Government- separatist movement active in Nagaland during the 1970s. After its leader was captured and the headquarters destroyed, NFG's activities decreased.

* Naga Federal Army-separatist guerrilla organization active in the 1970s. Several hundred members of NFA reportedly have received training in China.

Nagalim (Greater Nagaland) :-

The purported objective of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) is the establishment of a Nagalim (Greater Nagaland), consisting of all the Naga-inhabited areas of neighbouring Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and some portions Myanmar, which it considers to be the rightful homeland of the Nagas. Slated to be an independent State, the Nagalim lies in the Patkai range between the 930 and 970 East longitude and 23.50 and 28.30 North latitude at the trijunction of China, India and Myanmar. The proposed Nagalim spreads over approximately 1,20,000 sq. km. in contrast to the present State of Nagaland that has an area of 16,527 sq. km.
The NSCN-IM maintains that at present Nagalim has been subdivided by the Government of India into four different administrative units: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland. Likewise, Myanmar too has claimed parts of Nagalim and has divided it under two administrative units of Kachin State and Sagaing division. Thus, the establishment of Nagalim threatens to include large chunks of territories of three neighbouring States, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, along with some portion of Myanmar.
The map of Nagalim, released by the NSCN-IM, claims the Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills District of Assam. Besides, the map is also shown to include parts of the districts of Golaghat, Sibasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, and Jorhat. It also includes Dibang Valley, Lohit, Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh and significant parts of the four of the seven districts of Manipur – Tamenlong, Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel.

Naga Framework agreement :

Framwork  Agreement of August 3, 2015 between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issak-Muivah) NSCN(I-M) is a catalytic moment promising a more flexible template of peace-making. The agreement, signed on August 3, 2015, has established the broad principles that would guide the future delibe-rations between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-IM.

The content of the agreement has not been disclosed. The NSCN-IM also did not give any inkling to the Naga people about what was included in the agreement. Two aspects of the Framework Agreement have been made public—acceptance of the “uniqueness of Naga history and culture” by the Indian Government and the acceptance of the primacy of the Indian Constitution by the NSCN-IM. While Atal Behari Vajpayee had acknowledged the “unique history of the Nagas” in 2003, the NSCN-IM accepting the “primacy of the Indian Constitution” is a new development.

It puts at rest the earlier ambiguities about the NSCN-IM’s position on the Indian Constitution. This also signifies that the NSCN-IM has abandoned the objective of establishing an independent sovereign state for the Naga people. (Initially about sovereignty, the demand is now for a Greater Nagalim by integrating the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam) Although the NSCN-IM has walked a long way from its previous position, the Government of India remains reluctant to make any clear commitment on the issue of integration of the Naga-inhabited areas within India.

None of these States, which have Naga population, is likely to accept the NSCN-IM’s demand. The past 18 years’ experience shows that the Indian Government is unlikely to cede the territories of other States claimed by the Nagas.

It is not clear whether Nagalim would be governed by its own Constitution within the Indian Union and what would be the nature and terms for the sharing of sovereignty. This would require an amendment to Indian Constitution. There is also no clarity on the issue of a separate flag for Nagalim, a separate judicial system and local police, according to Sources .

Naga framework agreement &  Assam controversy

Amid a raging debate over whether Assam and Manipur will loose parts of its land to Nagalim, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has stated that not an inch of state’s land will be parted with and the territorial integrity of state will be protected.

There have been protests in different places demanding the disclosure of the 2015 framework agreement inked between NSCN-IM and Assam government.

Assam Congress has demanded a special session of state assembly to discuss the framework agreement.

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