Chairman of the outlawed Naga militant faction NSCN(K), SS Khaplang reportedly passed away at a hospital in Myanmar. Although the NSCN(K) is yet to make any official announcement in this regard, organisations like Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights confirmed the death of the militant leader and issued condolence letter expressing their grief.
According to sources, Khaplang died at Taga town in Myanmar. He was 77 and was suffering from some ailments for quite sometime. The veteran Naga militant leader has been undergoing treatment for a long time. Apart from the NSCN(K), Khaplang also heads the newly floated United liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNlFW), an umbrella organisation of all the northeastern militant outfits.
Hailing from the Hemi Naga tribe of eastern Myanmar, Khaplang used to be considered as one of the most dreaded militant leader of the region after the NSCN faction led by Thuingaleng Muivah and Isak Chisi Swu (NSCN–IM) and one faction of the Ulfa joined ceasefire talks with the Government of India. Although the faction led by Khaplang signed ceasefire with the Government of India, the outfit had in 2015 abrogated from the ceasefire and intensified its attack on the security forces in Nagaland, Manipur and in some districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Following this, the Government of India stepped up its counter insurgency operation against the outfit.
The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) was formed by by Thuingaleng Muivah, Isak Chisi Swu and SS Khaplang in 1980 opposing the Shillong Accord signed by the then Naga National Council and the Government of India.However, differences cropped up among the leadership leading to split in the organisation in 1988. While Muivah and Swu has been leading the NSCN (IM) since then, Khaplang was heading the other group NSCN (K).
“The news of Khaplang’s sudden demise came as a rude shock to the Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights,” said Neingulo Krome, decretary general of the NPMHR.