Shangwang Shangyung Khaplang, commander-in-chief of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland, Khaplang faction (NSCN-K), a man who gave New Delhi several sleepless nights over the course of five decades, breathed his last in a hospital in Taga in Myanmar on Friday evening. Khaplang, 77, who was suffering from a long-term ailment, suffered a stroke due to diabetes in his house late on Friday evening, and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he breathed his last at around 7:30pm.
While unconfirmed sources said that Kilonser Peyong Konyak, a self-styled Brigadier, will take over as commander-in-chief, BJP leader Ram Madhav tweeted that "leadership will be taken over by" NSCN (K) vice-chairman Khango Konyak.
There were also strong rumours doing the rounds that Khaplang was killed by his own men in a coup of sorts. Yet, his passing is seen by many as a thaw in the passing of the Naga Accord, which has been in cold storage for a while now. Northeast observers foresee that the death of Khaplang could lead to the disintegration of NSCN (K) and reduce the opposition within the Naga communities towards the Accord, with which the Indian government is trying to end the strife in the region. This could allow the government to strike a better deal with NSCN (IM) and other Naga groups.
Khaplang, who joined the nationalist Naga movement in the 60s, was born in Waktham village in Eastern Myanmar in April 1940. He belonged to the Hemi Naga tribe, and was the youngest of 10 siblings. He went to school in Margherita in Assam, Kakching (in now Manipur), and in Kalemyo before joining the movement. He first formed the Naga Defence Force in 1964, and the Eastern Naga Revolutionary Council a year later in 1965. Both the outfits were merged with Angami Zapu Phizo's Naga National Council, whose members trained in China, becoming the first insurgent group from India to be trained in guerilla warfare. By 1974, Khaplang became the vice-chairman of NNC.
Khaplang, Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah became friends, and eventually revolted against Phizo after NNC signed the Shillong Accord of 1975 to form the NSCN. But a war between the Tangkhul and Konyak factions led to Khaplang's unsuccessful attempt on Muivah's life in 1988, breaking the NSCN into two factions -- NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K).
Khaplang's last sting was on June 4, 2015 when NSCN (K) ambushed an army convoy in Manipur, killing 23 army men. Khaplang formed the United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW), a coalition of insurgent outfits, including the ULFA anti-talks faction and the NDFB Songbijit faction. The UNLFW took responsibility of the attack. At that time, too, reports claimed that Khaplang was suffering from an ailment and was hospitalised in a Yangon hospital.
