The Naga crisis simmers despite the ceasefire with the Centre and peace talks since July 1997. The NSCN (IM) has asserted that it is a de facto government and has the legitimate right to levy tax on people within the Nagalim. The newly appointed chairman of the Ceasefire Monitoring Group, Lt. General (Retd)S.K.Singh has asked the outfit to stop extortions and so called taxes. But the Secretary of the Group, Imcha Longkumar has clearly asserted that the ground rules of the Ceasefire agreement nowhere state that the NSCN (IM) has no right to levy taxes. This is in reply to Singh’s statement that the spirit of the ground rules meant it had no such rights. Undesirable atrocities are being committed on the activities of the group and other factions as a result of which Nagas have suffered enough. He also asked the NSCN (IM) cadre to stay within their camps and not violate the rules of official governance. Naga student bodies and Civic society had been protesting these illegal levies.

A newly formed body called the Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation has asked people to stop paying such NSCN(IM) levies. The Centre had last month asked the rebels to desist from levying taxes. The Union Home Ministry has described the situation as serious. It is obvious that the Naga peace talks have cut no ice. The levying of taxes is tantamount to demanding sovereignty in a limited way. The previous declaration of the NSCN (IM) that it did not demand a separate constitution and was willing to relent on the Greater Nagalim demand appears mere eyewash.