SUMMARY
The conflict between the National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Isaac-Muivah faction (NSCN-IM) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Khaplang faction (NSCN-K) originates in their history. Both NSCN-K and NSCN-IM originate from the highly violent break-up of the original National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in 1988, over tribe- and clan-issues. At that point, NSCN’s rank-and-file – that split and formed NSCN-K, was dominated by Konyak clan members, while NSCN’s leadership – that transformed into (NSCN-IM), was mainly Tangkhul-based. Further strategic issues, of whether NSCN should enter negotiations with the Government of India compounded the issue, increasing the animosity between the two factions.
Beyond this initial clan-based and strategic incompatibility, a number of other factors increased the potential for clashes. Both NSCN-IM and NSCN-K claimed the need for a single Naga group (themselves) fighting for independence, in the same time accusing the other of collaboration with Indian Security Forces. Further, both NSCN-IM and NSCN-K used taxation of businesses and probably smuggling (especially of drugs) as the main method for funding themselves, both activities requiring a significant amount of controlled territory. This increased the competition between the two groups, extending and expanding their incompatibility. Violent clashes between NSCN-IM and NSCN-K existed throughout the 1990s and 2000s; however, they were low level, not exceeding 25 battle-related deaths until 2005.
Strategically, the two groups have quite similar tactics – assaults on each other’s camps as well as small-scale clashes in the hilly jungles covering Nagaland and in villages controlled by one or the other. Both factions typically use light weaponry and sub-machine guns as their main armaments, and typically fight in relatively small units. Assassinations, targeted assaults, and kidnappings are also common – for example on 9 February 2006, NSCN-IM killed an NSCN-K regional administrator and kidnapped his daughter, while on 19 May 2006 NSCN-IM assassinated NSCN-K’s Education Kilonser (Minister) at his residence. NSCN-IM has been far more successful than NSCN-K, being considered by both the Government of India and scholars to be the dominant group fighting the Nagaland insurgency. NSCN-IM suffered a minor loss on 23 November 2007, when NSCN-IM splintered, as about 50 members of the group attempted to reconcile NSCN-IM and NSCN-K. This splinter group took the name NSCN-Unification (NSCN-U) and allied itself with NSCN-K.
Both NSCN-IM and NSCN-K have operations beyond Nagaland. NSCN-IM’s main areas of operation are concentrated to especially Wokha, Phek, Zunebhoto, Kohima, Mokokchung and Tuensang districts of Nagaland, with further presence in parts of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. NSCN-IM’s leadership is headquartered in Thailand, but is allowed to visit India. NSCN-K’s forces are mainly camped in Myanmar (Burma), where its leadership is also present, with some further presence in India’s Eastern Nagaland, close to the Myanmar (Burma) border, and in Tirap and Changlang districts in neighboring Arunachal Pradesh. Both groups are thought to have been trained in Bangladesh, and linkages with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan have been proposed by the Indian authorities.
The non-state conflict between NSCN-IM and NSCN-K is first included in UCDP data in 2001. In late April that year, clashes between the two factions had resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.
