Months of shimmering tension and factional feud with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) or NSCN-K, a new leader in Ang Mai, a retired combatant from Tangshang and ranked “Major General” in the outfit will take over as the chairman. This effectively means that Yung Aung, who is also nephew of late NSCN-K leader S S Khaplang has been ousted from the outfit for “anti-national and anti-party activities”. The decision to appoint Ang Mai as the chairman was taken in an emergency meeting on June 27 at the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the outfit.
The new NSCN-K chairman was the personal secretary of the founding leader of the outfit S S Khaplang. Besides, he was also the Home Minister of the outfit and held other military assignments, the press release added.
A press release issued by the NSCN/GRPN-K said that a meeting of the Naga Army held on April 10 this year and deposed Yung Aung from the Chairmanship of the party for his “anti-National and anti-Party activities which is totally against the Yehzabo of the NSCN/GPRN.” The meeting also decided to revert to the original logo and stamp of the Naga Army adopted in 1980 instead of the new logo and nomenclature which was changed by Yung Aung.
The appointment of Ang Mai comes at crucial time when the NSCCN-K under the previous chairman Yung Aung was at a stage where it looked liked the outfit would be split into various factions. Earlier, on June 6 the GHQ brigade, Tangshang area brigade, Konyak Region, Wancho Region and Leinong Region of the outfit announced its decision to stop working under the leadership of Yung Aung. This was preceded by an attack by Yung Aung and his men on the GHQ which led a gunfight from both sides.
According to reports, the June 5 firing primarily led to the declaration by the brigades mentioned above to cease working under the leadership of Yung Aung and instead “walk in the footstep of our most respected Late Baba SS Khaplang and his undying principles and values.”
On June 27, a press statement issued by the office of the General Staff Officer-I (D), GHQ Naga Army which was published in the Ukhrul Times stated that Ang Mai has the requisite experience and his appointment as the chairman would serve as a upliftment for the government.
In fact, the internal feud became intense after a meeting which was called on April 5 2023 to discuss the welfare and progression of the Naga Army and the people. Reports in the local media have it that an information letter was sent out from the NSCN/GRPN to all the Naga Army Unit commanders to reach GHQ on April 5, 2023. However, Yung Aung is said to have “criticized the meeting as factional meeting and stopping Some Naga Army officers on the way to restrain from the meeting.”
Several Naga civil society groups like Naga YUYA (Naga Culture Committee Myanmar), Naga Baptist Convention (NBC), Naga Students’ Organisation (NSO), Eastern Naga Students’ Association (ENSA), Konyak Union Myanmar (KIJM) had intervened and brokered for peace. Local media reports also highlight the decision which was taken by the groups to demarcate the Tigak river as the boundary line and asked the GHQ and the Council Headquarter (CHQ) to remain within the demarcation time until the issue is solved and put to rest.
