NSCN (IM) gears up for 'Naga I-Day'

NSCN (IM) cadres are busy decking up Camp Hebron — the outfit’s headquarters 35 km from Nagaland’s commercial capital Dimapur — for the ‘69th Naga Independence Day’ celebrations.

The NSCN(IM) has been celebrating August 14 as ‘Naga Independence Day’ since its inception.

The outfit’s leader who signed the Naga Accord with the Centre on August 3, Th Muivah will be in Camp Hebron to take part in the event and it is expected that he will spell out the details of the peace deal. NSCN (IM) runs its own ‘revolutionary government’ —  Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim (GPRN).

Muivah who is the ‘ato kilonser’ (Prime Minister) of GPRN, will review the Naga Army guard of honour.

NSCN (IM) leadership has sent out invitation to a cross sections Naga tribes. According to NSCN (IM) sources, hundreds of Nagas living in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh would attend the event.

Camp Hebron is highly fortified area and this time around NSCN (IM) has increased security. The Nagaland government has also beefed up security.

New Delhi had been tom-tomming that the Naga issue is more or less “resolved” and  only “modalities” of implementation needs to be worked out.

The August 14 event will give Muivah an opportunity to reveal the details and also address the core concerns of what happens to the question of Naga sovereignty or the demand for ‘Greater Nagaland’. 

In all likelihood, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also touch upon the issue in his address to the nation on August 15. Emissary to the NSCN (IM) collective leadership, General (retired) V S Atem, has already refuted media reports that the NSCN (IM) compromised on “sovereignty” and “integration” of Naga areas.

He said that the deal is about sharing of “sovereign powers” between India and the Naga people and based on this, a framework has been worked out. The neighbouring states are already apprehensive. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday reiterated that his government would oppose the deal if it touches Naga areas in the state.