Future Nagaland

Nagaland, whatever that might be. They report to the government and move in only on specific request of the administration. As brigadier P K Singh of the army headquarters at Chakbama pointed out, the armed forces follow all the legal niceties scrupulously. When someone points out that the state government is not a legitimate body, it does not represent the Naga aspirations, the army has nothing to do with it. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1972 was invoked in April 1995 on the request of the chief minister S C Jamir, who did not care to inform the cabinet, legislative assembly or for that matter the ruling party before accepting the centre's suggestion regarding invoking this act. All legitimate political processes followed the invocation of this act. Some of the ministers, for example, the minister for law, Lohe, confessed to some activists in April 1996, that the cabinet knew nothing of the invocation of such act and came to know only after CM's announcement Thus, the armed forces were there to protect the state government and the ruling clique against the "extortionists' undergrounds (UGs), say the ruling party members. Entire normal political process is distorted for this purpose. The interests of the ruling party, a group in Nagaland, coincide with the interests of the 'Indian' government. The army claims that they are acting on the request of the state government. The army officials also make it a point to have a dig at the state police. Why is the army called? Because the state administration and the people theme selves do not believe in the police and their efficiency, told brigadier Singh.