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03/03/2007: "Open letter to the Kaphlang Group"

Naga International Support Center, NISC www.nagalim.nl
A human rights organization
Press Release

Amsterdam, March 3 2007

Open letter to the Kaphlang Group

Something rarely discussed publicly are the differences in style of leadership and power of government between the NSCN-IM and the NSCN-K. The leaders of the Kaphlang Group, notably Mr. Kaphlang himself who for a long time has not spoken publicly, are from Naga tribes who are autocratic in nature; they are headed by absolute rulers called Angs. In contrast most other Naga tribes have a heritage of the village state democracy, which essentially means all in a village have a say in affairs through the Tribal Councils. Supreme Naga leaders do not uphold the democratic institutions the once united NSCN stood for. Before the forced and bloody split in 1988 the NSCN upheld the principle that all Nagas are equal and it followed this principle through organizing and securing democratic representations of all tribes within its ranks of government and in its armed forces. Consequently NISC asks you:

Is this culturally difference between the Ang system of government, the supreme leader system and the village state democracy system the basis of the differences between the Nagas? Coming from a culture where a ruler determines we understand it is difficult to accept the greater majority of Nagas are democratically oriented people. But then in a sovereign Nagaland, which is wished by all Nagas, would you then not represent a minority?

History proves that infighting, leading to fratricide, only favors the adversary. So NISC ask you if it would not be wise to come together and face the occupying power so that once by achieving the same goal through unity sovereignty then means that all Nagas can elect their government through party representation.

If the majority of Nagas elect the program and thus the form of Government you envisage, then the democratic process enables you to head the Government of Nagaland in its entirety?

At times you state the ‘enemy’ is the Indian Government. It is the Indian Government which ordered its Armed Forces to occupy the land of the Nagas. Consequently in your view the sovereignty of the Nagas, the internationally acclaimed right to self determination, thus the right of the Nagas to govern themselves, was and is brutally denied. You stand for that and you say you do all in your power to achieve this.
Yet, strangely, your army does not engage in driving out those enemy forces. Neither do you meet the leaders of India to negotiate an honorable settlement so this long term conflict can end.
Why do you give priority to fighting against your fellow Nagas?

In being autocratic in nature kindly answer this question too:
Do you still have close ties with S.C. Jamir, the former Chief Minister of Nagaland State, the man who has been accused of being the orchestrator of the 1988 crisis?

Till today but then through S.C. Jamir it is out in the open that Delhi provides arms and ammunition to both the forces of the Federal Government of Nagaland, FGN, and your group. How do you rhyme this with your call for sovereignty for all Nagas?
We do mention the FGN for in contrast to the past you work closely together and both FGN and you are using Indian made weapons and AK 47’s. There is ample evidence to that effect.

To issue a ‘quite’ notice on a Naga Tribe supposes that you do have cultural, governmental and humanistic power and insight to do so. Please enlighten us and tell who are you and by which authority do you think you can do this?
To quit on anyone officially and serve them with a death threat if that anyone does not follow up on your notice is in any democracy against the law. Is it not this ‘quitting’ on anyone of your choice you show this autocratic nature?

Reliable sources revealed the Government of India asked you to chase all Tangkhuls out of Nagaland State. You in line with that request served a whole tribe with a quit notice. You followed this up by kidnapping a 17 year old Tangkhul student from Kohima town and you cold-bloodedly killed near Kohima Science College.
You know very well the Tangkhul tribe bases its customary laws on the village state democracy where you do not. Some high profile leaders of the NSCN are Tangkhuls. The feud between the aspirations of you the Kaphlang and Thuingalang Muivah of the NSCN now call by you Isak Khodao (IK), you know Khaplang, began before 1988. Consequently we ask you:

What is the reason for this quitting on a tribe? Is it because of the Tangkhul representation in the NSCN you could not get what you want from? Is this is your reason to persecute the Tangkhul?
Furthermore NISC asks you to come forward with credible policies on how to achieve sovereignty on behalf of the Nagas, all Nagas, and how and with whom you aspire and plan to achieve this deserved goal. Do you have a plan for the future state of Nagaland, a free state for all Nagas?

The Nagas have been fighting against their invaders for a very long time. Some Nagas, through money, weapons and imposition of statehood, have sided with their adversaries. They make life difficult for the civil society and the Naga Forces.

Don’t’ you agree that the combined forces of the Nagas are operating on behalf of the Naga populace and so should restrict or eradicate the connections between those who, for reasons of their own, pay lip service to the occupying forces and those who genuinely and rightfully seek sovereignty for your people?

The Naga International Support Center calls on you to come together as one to sincerely pursue the goals of what the Naga National Council once stood for; to stand for the sovereignty of the Naga Peoples.
Lastly: Rather than serving the Naga International Support Center, NISC, a member with a death threat which we believe lowers your credibility; let it be known to you too that NISC supports the right to self determination of all Nagas, you included. If you are not willing to do so NISC is certain the Government of India is pleased with the effects of its divide and rule policy; for many years it has paid off handsomely.
Do you actually want to play in their hand?
When you kindly remove the death threat from on the NISC and we would be pleased to discuss matters so mutual understanding leading can be reached?

Cordially yours

Naga International Support Center A Human Rights Organization