NSCN-K leader Khaplang dead

Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, June 9

The chief of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (K), SS Khaplang, died tonight at Taga in Myanmar at the age of 77. The Naga rebel leader was ailing for over a year.

While security sources here yet to confirm his demise, NSCN-K ally ULFA (Independent) led by Paresh Barua has mourned his death.

The NSCN-K said following Khaplang’s death, NSCN-K vice-chairman K Konyak was appointed the chairman in-charge of the outfit for six months.

His death has been construed as a blow to the combination of the Northeast militant groups based in Myanmar.

Born at Waktham village east of Myanmar’s Pangsau Pass in April 1940, Khaplang joined the Naga nationalist movement and was one of the key people in the formation of the NSCN in 1980.  He formed the NSCN (K) in 1988 after breaking away from the NSCN over ideological differences with other leaders, including Th Muivah and Isak Chisi Swu. 

The NSCN (K) has been opposing the ongoing Naga peace process involving the Government of India and the NSCN (IM). The NSCN(K) pulled out of the ceasefire agreement with the Government of India in April 2015. It has been active in Mon district of Nagaland and three districts of Arunachal Pradesh — Longding, Tirap and Changlang.

Khaplang also took the initiative to float a platform of Northeast militants groups — United Liberation Front of Western South-East Asia. The combined group has carried out a series of attacks on security forces in the past couple of years.