Camp Hebron, Nagaland – Thuingaleng Muivah, leader of India’s oldest rebelorganisation, has told Al Jazeera that he felt the Indian government’sabrupt decision to strip Kashmir’s special status was “unacceptable”.
The 85-year-old leads the National Socialist Council of Nagalim – IsakMuivah (NSCN-IM) – northeast India’s largest rebel outfit with an estimated5,000 to 15,000 members fighting for independence for more than fourdecades.
NSCN-IM, formed in 1980, along with other armed groups based in Nagaland -a Christian-majority state – wants all Naga people unified in a newsovereign state called Nagalim.
But the August 5 decision by the Indian government to scrap Article 370 ofthe constitution that granted Indian-administered Kashmirlink measure of autonomyhas triggered anxieties across the northeast region, Al Jazeera hasreported.
Seven northeast states, including parts of Assam state, are protected undervarious clauses of Article 371.Nagaland is safeguarded by Article 371A,which exempts it from following Indian laws.
“India’s Kashmir decision [was taken] without respecting the history of theKashmiris. [It] is not acceptable to us,” he said.
Expressing disappointment with the way the government led by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi diluted Kashmir’s special status, Muivah said he feels”nothing short of betrayal” since Indialink removed Kashmir’sspecial status and brought its only Muslim-majority region under directcentral rule.
Although India’s hardline Home Minister Amit Shah has reassured regionalleaders in the northeast that Article 371 will not be scrapped, rebelgroups fear that the current Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJPlink)government may dilute these constitutional provisions as part of its “onenation one constitution.
Question over Naga sovereignty
NSCN-IM, which signed a ceasefire deal in 1997, wants Nagalim to includeall Naga-majority areas straddling across Manipur, Assam and ArunachalPradesh states, as well as a part of western Myanmarlink across the border.
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In 2015, the rebel group led by Muivah signedlinka16-point framework agreement with Prime Minister Modi and interlocutor RNRavi but talks aimed at arriving at a political solution has dragged on.
Muivah, who is based at Camp Hebron, the headquarters of the self-styledGovernment of the People’s Republic of Nagalim, has expressed concerns attalks.[image: [Makepeace Sitlhou/Al Jazeera]]
Speaking from the camp spread across 81 hectares (200 acres) in Perendistrict of Nagaland, he said the Indian government was backtracking on thequestion of Nagaland’s sovereignty, a separate constitution for the stateand a flag for the Nagas.
“Suddenly, they want the Nagas to come within the union of India. This cameas a surprise to us,” he told Al Jazeera. “Sorry, but that is not possible.link[image: Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay]link
In 1980, the NSCN-IM broke away from the first armed group formed in the1960s, the Naga National Council, after a group of leaders signed theShillong Accord in 1975, accepting the constitution of India, withoutcondition.
Prior to the accord, a group of leaders led by Muivah had fled to Chinalink where they werebelieved to have been trained by the People’s Liberation Army.
While no definitive figures are available, the armed rebellion has costlives running up to thousands, including civilians and Indian armed forcespersonnel.
Since the framework agreement was signed, speculations have been rife overthe kind of Naga sovereignty being negotiated.
