Kohima, Sept 22 (PTI): The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah) is consolidating itself, taking advantage of the ongoing ceasefire agreement with the Centre, according to a top official of the Assam Rifles.
“The ceasefire is giving the NSCN an opportunity to consolidate. We have conveyed our concern to the Minstry of Home Affairs,” Inspector General of Assam Rifles (North), Major General S S Kumar told a team of visiting newsmen here.
Observing that the NSCN (IM) was procuring arms and improved communication systems, Kumar said the number of its cadre have also been on the rise lately. “Earlier, there were about 800 cadre of the NSCN-IM. Of late, the figure ranges between 2,000 to 2,500,” he said, adding the NSCN (IM) had a training camp in neighbouring Myanmar and reports about the existence of another camp in Bangladesh were being looked into.
Kumar said the outfit was trying to run a parallel government in Nagaland. “It has a political wing, a military wing, collects ‘taxes,’ issues entry permits, registers shops and carries out investigations into crimes and irregularities in the state government,” he said.
Pointing out that factional feuds often affected locals, Kumar said the Assam Rifles intervened to protect the common man at such times.
“First, we ask the NSCN cadre to return to designated camps. If they don’t, we ask civilian authorities to intervene. If that fails, we surround the cadre and cut off their supplies till they retreat to their designated camps,” he said, adding there were 11 such camps for NSCN (IM) and eight for NSCN (K) in the state.
Despite such problems, stepped up initiatives by the Church has ensured better coordination among Nagaland’s 16 major tribes and increasing social pressure for reconciliation and unity. The yearning among youth for peace and development was also on the rise, Kumar said.
“This has resulted in positive development. Business is now gradually coming to Nagaland. For example, Dabur is now investing in a big food processing unit here,” he said.
In keeping with the demand for peace and development in Nagaland, the Assam Rifles, known as ‘Friends of the Hill People’ was actively involving itself in assisting development and education in the state under the Military Civil Assistance (MCA) programme, he said.
For Assam Rifles, the focus areas in Nagaland were water supply schemes, community halls and handloom centres, IT education, bulldozer assistance in construction of roads, tracks, playgrounds and fish ponds, provisioning medical cover in remote areas, AIDS awareness and prevention and self-employment training.
According to Kumar, the AR has so far spent Rs 24 crore on various projects under the programme.
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