China stopping NSCN-K from joining peace-talks in Nagaland: Home Ministry

Guwahati: In what has been the major area of concern for security agencies in India, the pro-active intervention of China has been stopping the NSCN-K from joining the ongoing peace-talks in Nagaland.

Disclosing that Chinese agencies are frequently meeting the NSCN-K leaders in Ruli and Kunming in Southern China’s Yunnan province, authoritative security sources in the home ministry told this newspaper that they have conclusive intelligence inputs---indicating indulgence of China with Northeast insurgent groups.

Pointing out that China was regulating the entire decision making of the United National Liberation Front of West South-East Asia (UNLFW) – a joint platform of four rebel groups of North-eastern India having its bases inside Myanmar, security sources said that representatives of Chinese security agencies are meeting them too frequently and even sometime twice a month.    

Informing that China also played key role in appointment of self-styled “Lt General” Khango Konak, who had taken over as chairman of the NSCN (K) after SS Khaplang died in June this year, as the chairman of the UNLFW, security sources said that it was aimed at to dissuade the NSCN-K from joining the peace-talks with government of India.

Pointing out that NSCN-K was under tremendous pressure from civil society groups of Nagaland to re-join the peace-talks, security sources said that China was maintaining a safe distance from Indian insurgent groups but of late it has intensified its “under the cover” activities in the Northeastern states.

The Northeast insurgent groups operating from Myanmar have easy access to frontier towns of Yunnan in China, which has become the hub of anti-India activities.

Security sources however claimed that NSCN-K may join the peace-process in the wake of mounting pressure of civil society, which recently forced six rebel groups of Nagaland to join the ongoing peace-talks for a permanent solution of decades old problem.

Admitting that newly appointed chairman of NSCN-K Khango Konak was also opposed to the idea of abrogating the ceasefire with government of India, security sources said that on many occasions he asserted the need of joining the peace-talks.

The NSCN-K led by S S Khaplang who passed away on June 6 this year, had unilaterally abrogated ceasefire in March 2015.

It is significant that India in several bilateral discussions had pointed out to China about the Northeast insurgent leaders taking shelter in its Yunnan province but despite the assurances of China’s interior ministry, it failed to take any effective step to drive them out.