11th July 2008 - Nagaland bears the brunt

A bandh called by a local tribal students union protesting against the continuing killings among different factions of Naga rebel group, the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), brought life to a grinding halt today at Dimapur in Nagaland.The Sumi Students’ Union called for a 12-hour bandh in Dimapur district demanding immediate halt to feud between the NSCN factions that have so far claimed lives of about 50 persons, including rebels and civilians in and around Dimapur. The students union castigated the Naga rebel groups for violating human rights and criticised the state government for failing to protect lives of citizens in the face of belligerence shown by the rebels groups. The students’ union in a statement said the recent chain of killings among the rebel groups has become a great threat to the people living in and around Dimapur and demanded action on part of the administration to restore normalcy in the area by containing the rebels brandishing weapons.All the offices, business establishments, financial institutions, educational institutions remained closed during the bandh period.There was no vehicular traffic on the road and the usually busy Dimapur-Kohima Road wore a deserted look throughout the day.Rival Naga rebel groups - the NSCN (IM), NSCN (K) and NSCN (Unification) - have been fighting among themselves for supremacy and the clashes have taken a heavy toll on all sides. It all started with a faction of the NSCN (IM) breaking away from the group to form NSCN (Unification) early this year. The rival NSCK (K) extended prompt support to the NSCN (Unification) much to the chagrin of the NSCN (IM).Both NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K) are in truce with the government forces but that doesn’t deter the rebel groups from attacking each other’s camps and hideouts in an around Dimapur in Nagaland and elsewhere in the state.(Reported by The Tribune)