Naga people

The Nagas in India have four of the factors that increase the likelihood of continuing rebellion: current rebellion; territorial concentration; repression by the government; and lost autonomy due to their inclusion in the Indian union in 1947. Factors that could possibly inhibit future militant actions include the Naga populace's desire for an end to violence and the government's promotion of economic development. In addition, India has a tradition of negotiating agreements that provide various separatist groups with some degree of autonomy. In 2000 India was also able to convince Burma to start closing down NSCN bases, further constraining rebel activities. The most violent conflict currently involving Nagas is the internecine rivalry between the Isak-Muivah and Khaplang factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland. A third faction, the NSCN-Unification, was formed in 2007 in an attempt to unify the divided Naga insurgents. However, such efforts were rejected by the NSCN-IM. As such, continuing violence between the Naga rivals is likely to continue. The Nagas are primarily located in Nagaland Northeastern India, although some live in adjacent regions of other states (GROUPCON = 3). The territory of Nagaland was carved out of Assam by the Indian government in 1963. Of Tibeto-Burman origins, the Nagas moved into the traditionally isolated northeast of India prior to the 1800s (RACE = 3). There has been no significant migration of Nagas to other regions of India; however, groups such as the Bengalis from Bangladesh have moved into Naga-dominated areas in recent decades. There are 16 main Naga tribal groups, most of which speak their own distinct languages (LANG = 2). The social customs of the Nagas have more in common with other tribal groups in the northeast than with the country's majority Hindu population. Nagaland is one of India's only two Christian majority states (BELIEF = 3). Christianity was brought into the northeast early in the 20th century by American Baptist missionaries. Until British colonial rule was extended into the northeast, the Nagas remained socially isolated from the majority of India. The Nagas were granted special status under the British. However, even prior to the independence of India, the Nagas sought greater political control over their own affairs, including avoiding incorporation into India (PROT45X = 2). There has been limited economic development in the northeast, despite the changes that have occurred in the rest of India. The Nagas are disadvantaged due to past and current political and economic discrimination, mostly from the majority community (ECDIS04-06 = 2). While the creation of the state of Nagaland in 1963 has provided greater opportunities for political participation for the tribals, they still remain underrepresented (POLDIS04-06 = 2). The majority of Nagas support obtaining widespread autonomy within the Indian union while a significant minority is seeking the creation of an independent Nagalim state (POLGR04-06 = 4). This state of Nagalim would encompass Nagaland along with Naga-dominated regions in India's Assam, Arunchal Pradesh and Manipur states along with Naga areas in neighboring Burma. Limited economic opportunities are also a key grievance among the Nagas along with concerns about the protection of their religious and cultural rights, particularly after violent attacks against Christians by alleged right-wing Hindus in other parts of India in 1999 and 2000 (ECGR04-06 = 2; CULGR04-06 = 1). Since the late 1920s, various Naga groups have politically mobilized to obtain special status for their peoples. The interests of the Nagas are promoted by conventional organizations but also by militant organizations such as the various factions of the NSCN. It is estimated that more than two-thirds of the Naga population support these various organizations. The main conventional parties include the Nagaland People's Front (the ruling party of Nagaland from 2003 through 2