Sunday, June 11, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Naga Leader SS Khaplang Dies Aged 77

Posted: 11 Jun 2017 02:10 AM PDT

SS Khaplang, the Naga rebel leader of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), passed away aged 77 on Friday, according to the Council of Naga Affairs (CNA) based in Zingkaling, Hkamti in Sagaing region, northwest Burma.

Recognized by the Naga people as a great Naga national and legendary leader, Shangwang Shangyang Khaplang (also spelled Sangwang Sangnyu Khaplang) died at his residence at around 7:30 p.m. local (Burma) time in Taka (also spell Taga), the headquarters of the NSCN-K in Sagaing division.

The CNA said in its condolence statement released on Saturday that "[SS Khaplang]'s sacrifice, leadership, unflinching spirit for the freedom of the Naga Nation will always remain a leading and inspiring torch in the hearts of Nagas for generations to come."

He was the president of the NSCH-K since its formation in 1988 and the chairman of its government-in-exile—The Government of the People's Republic of Nagaland (GPRN).

SS Khaplang took part in the Naga revolutionary movement begun in the 1960s and led various leadership roles: He was a vice chairman of the Eastern Naga Revolutionary Council from 1965 and President of the Naga National Council from 1979.

NSCN-K, formed in 1988, demands the "independence of Nagaland." Prior to that, ethnic Naga fought for independence of Nagaland—both in Burma and India—under the National Socialist Council of Nagaland formed in 1980. But eight years later, the council was split into two fractions: One became the NSCN-K and another fraction, known as NSCN-IM, mostly fighting the Indian government, was led by Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah.

Indian media noted that SS Khaplang was wanted for an incident in India's northeastern state of Manipur on June 4, 2015 in which 18 Indian security personnel were attacked.

Both China and India closely watch Naga groups and will be interested in who will succeed SS Khaplang. Burma expert Bertil Lintner reported in 2014 and 2015 that China used Naga as a back-channel against India.

According to Indian journalist Rajeev Bhattacharyya, who trekked into the Naga region in 2011 for almost two months, SS Khaplang was born in April 1940 and is survived by three sons and one daughter.

Little is currently known about the movement of the NSCN-K in the northwest of Burma, except that the NSCN-K signed a ceasefire agreement with the former Burma government on April 9, 2012, but has rarely been seen in the ongoing peace talks, only attending as observers. NSCN-K participated as an observer to the NCA-drafting process, but they were not interested in signing it.

The current National League for Democracy government's peace negotiators, led by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, invited the NSCN-K to attend the latest 21st Century Panglong peace conference in May in August 2016 and May 2017, but they did not attend both times.

They reportedly operate in areas of Lahe, Leshi, Hkamti and Namyun townships in Sagaing Region. The ethnic Naga in Burma were given a self-administrative zone in Leshi, Lahe and Namyun townships under the military-backed 2008 Constitution.

In his last breaths, SS Khaplang shared his desire for his Naga followers to continue their fight for freedom, according to CNA's chairman Athong Makury.

His will, translated by the CNA chairman, said: "I have stood under the banner of 'Nagaland for Christ' with the hope that my people may see both physical and spiritual freedom from the oppression of the ruthless occupiers. I have done my part for the freedom of my people with the little capacity God has given me."

SS Khaplang encouraged the next generation to "never waver nor be carried away with the ideologies of the aliens that Nagas do not deserve to be a nation. As a human, I have done many wrongs and forgive me all my failures in this noble venture of our cherished freedom. My sons and daughters, please continue to hold on the torch of our freedom until we reach the promised land."

U Than Khe, chairman of the All Burma Students Democratic Front, who lived in Manipur in the 1990s, praised SS Khaplang as "a great leader who kept his fight for the freedom of the Naga people to designate their own destiny and to have equal rights as other ethnicities in Burma until his last breath."

U Than Khe recalled how students fleeing the 1988 uprising were treated well in the Naga-controlled region on the India-Burma border. "NSCN-K's political path is different to other ethnics groups who want to build a federal state, but Naga wants their own land and thus, they separate themselves from following the NCA path." he added.

The NSCN-K gave no notice of who would succeed SS Khaplang as leader of the group, but Indian media suggested the commander-in-chief Khole Konyak may be the next leader.

The post Naga Leader SS Khaplang Dies Aged 77 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Commander-in-Chief: We Will Complete Search for Crashed Plane

Posted: 10 Jun 2017 10:25 PM PDT

NAYPDYIAW—The Burma Army would complete its search for victims and debris of the military aircraft that crashed into the Andaman Sea on Wednesday, said the Burma Army Chief, adding that he believed it crashed due to bad weather.

"We will complete the search as it is in our [territorial] areas," commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing told reporters at a ceremony to accept donations for victims of the tragedy on Sunday at Naypyidaw Command.

"I think it is because of the weather. But, I'm not 100 percent sure. We're still investigating," he added.

According to radar records, the aircraft, which was flying at an altitude of 18,000 feet began to lose altitude at 1.31 pm after flying for around 30 minutes. It then began to climb slightly, but later it was believed to fall again completely, said the army chief.

"Military security forces and local police found four witnesses, two of them said they heard abnormal aircraft noises that grew louder and then faded away, and then the noises disappeared," said the army chief.

Thirty-three bodies had been recovered by Friday evening, but severe weather in the Andaman Sea hindered the search operation on Friday and Saturday.

Only 14 bodies were identified so far as the saltwater had disfigured the bodies, said the army chief.

There were black spots on the latest body retrieved and the military would investigate with the help of Health Ministry, said the army chief.

"I feel deeply sorry about this incident. [Such an accident] never happened in the history of the military. It is the most serious loss. I've never expected it, not even dreamed of it. It makes me very sad," he said.

"There are family members left behind by victims. Some people lost parents. We have to ensure their livelihoods," he added.

The army chief said he reported to President U Htin Kyaw about the plane crash on Friday.

On Wednesday evening, the Facebook page of The Ladies Journal reported that the plane crashed because of an explosion of a gas cylinder on board. The commander-in-chief's office issued a notice warning against publishing of unconfirmed news about the plane clash.

"We knew as soon as [The Ladies Journal] posted the news. That day, I was at the office till late. I saw the post and told my staff to complain [to The Ladies Journal] about unconfirmed news reports," he said.

The Ladies Journal later sent a letter of apology, said the army chief.

He said the search would be completed soon as the Navy and Air Force were searching in collaboration. The spot where the plane was believed to have crashed is just 35 meters deep, he said.

"As soon as the news was reported, many fishing trawlers from Myeik and Kawthoung came to help. Over 20 fishing trawlers joined us in search and rescue operations of their own volition. Villagers from nearby villages also helped us search with their boats. I'm grateful to them," said the army chief.

He also denounced netizens and other people who celebrated the crash. "There are people who spoke ill. I'm sad. The victims did nothing wrong. I can't understand why [they] are happy for their deaths," he said.

The post Commander-in-Chief: We Will Complete Search for Crashed Plane appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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