Heat on Khaplang

THE National Investigation Agency (NIA) has declared a cash reward for information on S.S Khaplang who has been included in a list of wanted terrorists. The list includes Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ul-Rehman- Lakhwi. It comprises 38 banned organizations. The NIA’s decision comes 3 months after a militant ambush killed 18 soldiers in Manipur on June 4. The Khaplang faction had also unilaterally walked out of a 14 year old cease fire agreement with the Centre. Furthermore, the faction refused to accept the pact made between the NSCN (IM) led by T. Muivah and the Centre. Naga Civil Society Groups were upset over the blow to peace efforts. It is felt that the NIA has tried to pre-empt a meeting between the Khaplang group and a delegation from a traditional body, Naga Hoho and the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization, which is aimed at bringing the NSCN (K) into a cease fire agreement. The rebel group has a peace pact with the Myanmar government. It is however said that the NIA’s announcement might end up unsettling the Naga political issue. Even the NSCN (IM) has criticized the latest move. A senior leader of the organization said that S.S Khaplang and his group were also fighting for the people and could not be treated as terrorists. But this view is hardly tenable. The NSCN (K) has in the past granted asylum to many Manipur rebel groups and the Paresh Barua- led ULFA faction as well as the NDFB (Songbijit) faction which are responsible for terror acts in Assam.