New Delhi, Nov. 16: The Centre has put the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) on its list of terrorist outfits two months after declaring it an unlawful organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The development, which places the Myanmar-based outfit in the ranks of the Islamic State and the Lashkar-e-Toiba, means that any individual or organisation that provides it with funds or any other help will face stricter punishment.
Also, the "terrorist" tag is likelier than an "unlawful" label to bring an organisation's activities under closer watch internationally.
Khaplang's marginalisation is likely to politically benefit the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), a rival group that signed a draft peace accord with the Centre in August and is in talks for a settlement of the Naga issue.
But sections of Nagaland's civil society, which will be playing a role in any Naga accord, want Khaplang to be a part of the process and would be dismayed by the terrorist label on his group.
According to the Centre, Khaplang's outfit had "unilaterally" dumped its 14-year-old ceasefire agreement with the Indian government in March this year and has since then repeatedly targeted Indian security forces.
After the group led an ambush that killed 18 soldiers in Manipur on June 4, Indian forces had attacked rebel camps along the Myanmar border.
In September, the cabinet banned the outfit while the National Investigation Agency announced cash rewards for information on Khaplang and his deputy, Niki Sumi.
On November 6, a gazette notification declared Khaplang's group, with all its formations and fronts, a terrorist organisation.
A Union home ministry release today said: "NSCN(K) has resorted to terrorism by killing innocent civilians and security forces and engaged in other violence including the June 4, 2015, attack on the army convoy in Chandel district of Manipur."
Rival Naga militants were cautious. Wangtin Naga, a former Khaplang protégé who now heads the NSCN (Reformation), refused comment on the development.
Khaplang's group, formed in 1988, is active in both Myanmar and India and has its base in the Taga area of the Sagaing division of northwest Myanmar. It shelters several other militant outfits from the Northeast.
India's list of terrorist organisations includes 10 from the Northeast. These are Ulfa and the NDFB from Assam; the People's Liberation Army, United National Liberation Front, People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, Kangleipak Communist Party, Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and the Manipur People's Liberation Front of Manipur; and the All Tripura Tiger Force and the National Liberation Front of Tripura.
Of these, both the Assam outfits and at least three from Manipur are believed to enjoy Khaplang's patronage in Myanmar.
The NSCN (K) had previously been declared unlawful for sometime before it struck its now-revoked truce with the Centre in 2001.
Rifles 'goof-up'
The Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force officered by the army but functioning under the Union home ministry, has angered the Nagaland media by "warning" local newspaper editors against publishing NSCN (K) releases.
At least three newspapers kept their editorial space blank today, the National Press Day, in protest at the Assam Rifles' October 26 letter.
A former interlocutor for the Naga talks, K. Padmanabhaiah, said the Assam Rifles had goofed up. "If these releases are printed, you come to know how they (the rebels) think and what they do," he said.
Local editors had yesterday met and issued a statement criticising the Assam Rifles.
Sources said Nagaland chief minister T.R. Zeliang may write to the Union home ministry against the Assam Rifles' "warning" to the newspapers.
