2. Nagaland

The Nagas residing in the Naga hills on consisted of many separate tribes speaking different languages. The British had left the Nagas in relative isolation and due to missionary activity permitted by them there had emerged an educated section which became the flag bearer of separate Naga identiy and the demand of sepration andcomplete indendenc e form India. Led by Angami Zaphu Phizo belonging to the Naga National Council (NNC), the Nagas articulated their demands of freedom and separation from India, immediately after the end of the British Rule. Following a referendum held by the NNC in 1951, Phizo formed the underground Naga Federal Government (NFG) and the Naga Federal Army (NFA) in March 1956, thus beginning an armed insurrection against Indian government. The Government of India sent in the Army to crush the insurgency and, in 1958, enacted the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. The Government also tried to quell such movements with limited success by bringing many Naga areas within an autonomous framework in 1957, formation of the state of Nagaland in 1963.

A section of NNC leaders to signed the Shillong Accord with the government of India on 11 November 1975, under which this section of NNC and NFG agreed to give up arms. A group of about 140 members led by Thuingaleng Muivah, who were at that time in China, refused to accept the Shillong Accord, and formed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in 1980. Muivah also had Isak Chisi Swu and S S Khaplang with him. In 1988, the NSCN split into NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) after a violent clash. While the NNC began to fade away, and Phizo died in London in 1991, the NSCN (IM) came to acquire greater significance.

The main aim of the NSCN in its various incarnations has been establish a sovereign state, "Nagalim" by unifying all the areas inhabited by the Naga people in Northeast India and Burma. However the cease-fire between the Union Government and the NSCN(IM) and later NSCN (K) reduced violence in Naga areas. Significantly, after rounds of negotiations between the NSCN (IM) leadership and the government of India a “Framework Agreement” was signed in August 2015. However, as the NSCN (K) breaking the ceasefire and engaging in violence as well as the neighboring states such as Assam, Manipur and Arunachal remaining apprehensive, the Naga issue awaits a final resolution.