Guwahati: Naga insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) is firm on not signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the Myanmar Army (Tatmadaw) inspite of 'repeated aggression' by Naypidaw.
According to NSCN (K), they want to continue their fight for ‘sovereignty’ of the Naga people.
Speaking to News18, the ministry of publicity (MIP) in-charge of NSCN (K) Joseph Lamkang, said, ‘‘Myanmar, in reality doesn’t care for the real aspiration of the Nagas. The seven years ceasefire only benefited them as it was one-sided. NSCN started to feel that we were at the receiving end of Myanmar government’s operations. In last three years, they have been aggressively forcing us to sign the NCA. But, we did not do so. Then they became aggressive at the negotiating table, stopped all our supply routes and have applied their famous ‘four cuts’ policy.’’
Lamkang added that Myanmar is well verse with the Naga issue, and they know that the subject is different from other ethnic issues. Lamkang remarked that Myanmar could have taken a different route rather than forcing her NCA on the Nagas.
‘‘Myanmar herself is not stable and the ethnic people are not happy with the way they are treated. We do not see a stable Myanmar now or in near future, unless they change their Constitution and mentality towards ethnic issues’’, Lamkang added.
On the issue of NCA, she said, ‘‘The present NCA is the modern version of original Panglong Agreement of 1947. Nagas do not sign the old Panglong Agreement because we decided to be independent. Nagas have fought and died for it, hence why should we sign NCA? Myanmar has made a terrible mistake by trusting India too much.’’
The Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) was a landmark ceasefire agreement between the government of Myanmar and representatives of various ethnic insurgent groups, officially known as "ethnic armed organisations" (EAOs) by the government. The draft was agreed upon by a majority of the invited parties on 31 March 2015, and the agreement was signed by President Thein Sein on 15 October 2015. The signing was witnessed by observers and delegates from the United Nations, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan and the United States. A ceremony is held by the government annually on the anniversary of the signing of the agreement.
The government of Myanmar originally sent invitations to 15 different ethnic insurgent groups, inviting them to participate in long-term peace negotiations. However, seven of those invited declined or dropped out during negotiations due to alleged unfairness.
The Lahu Democratic Union and the New Mon State Party later joined the ceasefire and signed the agreement on February 13, 2018.
Hostilities between the Tatmadaw and the Naga insurgent group have risen since over 400 soldiers from six battalions led by the Hkamti district tactical commander under the Tatmadaw’s North-West Command took control of the NSCN (K)’s headquarters in Ta Ga area of Nanyun township on January 29, 2019.
The Tatmadaw has accused the NSCN (K) of supporting insurgent groups of Indian origin, including ULFA (I), National Democratic Front of Boroland (S), KLO, PDCK, KYKL, PREPAK, PLA, UNLF and RPF in Myanmar’s soil.
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