Naga rebel chief impeached, expelled

Naga extremist group NSCN (K) has impeached and expelled its chairman SS Khaplang for his 'arbitrary' and 'unconstitutional' action in removing the outfit's 'commander-in-chief' Khole Konyak.

A decision to this effect was taken at the 'national assembly' of the group on Tuesday.

The NSCN (K) alleged that Khaplang removed Konyak, 'one of the senior most freedom fighters in South East Asia' without the consent and approval of national assembly, its highest decision-making body.

"He not only hampered FNRs (Forum for Naga Reconciliation) efforts to bring peace and reconciliation in Naga homeland but also remained non-committal on all burning issues owing to his self-exiled nature of existence for more than ten years," the NSCN (K) said in a statement.

Khaplang, a Hemi Naga from eastern Myanmar, has been in the forefront of Naga insurgency movement since late sixties. He parted ways from the Naga National Council along with insurgent leaders Thuingaleng Muivah and Isak Chishi Swu over ideological differences in 1975 after the signing of historic Shillong Accord.

Subsequently, they formed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN). However, the NSCN suffered a split in 1988 and NSCN (K) was born. The NSCN (K) and the other faction NSCN (Isak-Muivah) have signed separate ceasefire agreements with the Centre.