By Nava Thakuria
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
Guwahati, 23 November 2003

After taking charge of the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Mastership in the first week of August this year, Gegong Apang implemented a premeditated decision to stop military operations against militants of the Isaac-Muivah and Khaplang factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland militants. Named 'Operation Hurricane', military operations had been launched by the
Mukut Mithi government in June in the insurgent-stricken district Tirap, bordering on Burma. Mr Mithi's Congress-led government was toppled, allegedly with the support by the NSCN (IM), to pave way for Mr Apang. While the Mithi government had argued for the operations to continue in view of the security scenario in the state, Apang justified his decision to stop the operations which had taken on a vindictive hue.

Until a last few years go, Arunachal Pradesh was called the peaceful state in the North East of India. A province with a population of over one million, Arunachal then started to witness insurgency primarily in Tirap and Changlang, which are both dominantly Naga-inhabitant districts. The NSCN's Khaplang faction established its dominance in Tirap a decade go whereas the IM faction began asserting its strength since 2000. Violent clashes between the militants of the two rival factions ensued. Soon other armed outfits like United Liberation Front of Asom and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland roamed the districts.

These groups armed cadres enjoy a free run of the area which is almost inaccessible for the government machinery. One can witness rampant extortion activity by these armed outfits in Tirap. In fact, businessmen and even the government officials in the district have to pay ransom of around 10 per cent of their income to buy peace. Nobody wants to work in the district, described a senior citizen and political activist based in Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh.

So when a New Delhi-based English daily brought a news item on 18 November revealing the liberation of Tirap by the NSCN, there was little surprise for political observers. Headlined NSCN liberates Arunachaldistrict, the article reported that the NSCN (I-M) had declared Tirap district a "liberated zone". Quoting a state government source, the report also added, There is nothing called a district administration in Tirap, which is now fully under the NSCN(I-M)'s control". Reacting promptly to the news item, the Arunachal State Home Minister L. Wanglat called it baseless. In a hurriedly convened press meet in Itanagar, Wanglat confirmed that government administration in Tirap was still active. Speaking to Mizzima News from Itanagar, State Home Commissioner MK Parida also denied the alleged liberation of Tirap. The office of Chief Secretary of the
Arunachal government also denied any kind of developments in the state.

With the situation Khonsa, Tirap's main city, tense, no one wants to talk much. Speaking to Mizzima News from Khonsa, a lady worker in the Ramkrishna Sarada Mission reported that the situation was not good. We all stay inside the Mission's campus. So the incidents generally don't affect our daily lives. For shopping, we generally go to Tinchukia or Dibrugarh town in Assam once in a week. We cannot depend on the small town Khonsa for our requirements, she added. Established in 1973 for the benefit of local tribal girls, Ramkrishna Sarada Mission has over 300 students.

A worker in the Treasury Office at Khonsa stated that the situation had been very bad a few days earlier. Of course, it is better now, said T. Desia who represents the Nocte tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Mr Desia, however, denied that ransom was paid to the NSCN or any other insurgent outfits.

The Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police based in Khonsa were not available for comments. One inspector, NC Kharkwal, claimed that the situation in Khonsa was normal. He also denied reports of the NSCN's extortion drive.

To cover up the administration's failure in both the districts, the Apang government now advocates autonomy for Tirap and Changlang. The state government has received a green light from New Delhi for granting autonomy to both districts within the ambit of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Gegong Apang: " With the aim of safeguarding the autonomy of the tribals, a power-sharing structure of would be implemented in Tirap and Changlang, as has been done in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura". Home Minister Wanglat also feels that the autonomy would help the people in the districts concerned on way to rapid development.

" In order to grant autonomy to the districts, the Arunachal government has to pass a resolution in the state assembly which would be followed by introducing a bill in Parliament", explains P. Dasgupta, a senior journalist based in Itanagar for the last 25 years.

The move to give autonomy to the NSCN-dominated districts had provoked dissent among political observers. Such a move would only prove the weakness of the government. On the other hand, it would gives legitimacy to the NSCN's propaganda about creating a greater Nagaland named Nagalim. Tirap and Changlang districts are included in the proposed map of Nagalim, which also covers Naga-inhabited areas in Assam, Manipur and even Burma (Myanmar).

" It is nothing but a gift by Apang to the NSCN for having helped him to come to power. The BJP-led central government is sympathetic to Apang as his United Democratic Front is a part of NDA. NSCN (I-M) is in negotiations with the central government. Can you guess what the links are here?", queries Itanagar-based journalist and human rights activist L. Duchuchou.