Don’t blame us if abstention from election derails Frontier Nagaland Territory talks, says ENLU

DIMAPUR — On the eve of polling day in Nagaland, the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) have issued a statement on the decision of the public to abstain from taking part in the electoral process over the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) issue.

“In the event the talks fail or are affected adversely due to the non-participation in the election, the Legislators of Eastern Nagaland will not be answerable and should not be blamed,” it said in a statement issued on Thursday.

The ENLU said that it had, on several occasions, appealed to the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) as well as the public of eastern Nagaland to participate in the 18th Lok Sabha election and fulfil their constitutional responsibility of voting in the elections in order to create a conducive atmosphere for continuation of the negotiations of the FNT and to keep the talks alive with the government of India.   

‘The ENLU members had also given their assurance that they would extend fullest cooperation to the negotiation process once the new government is formed at the Centre. However, the ENPO and the tribal hohos have forced the legislators of the eastern Nagaland not to participate in the democratic process of election,’ it said.

Stating that abstention from the ongoing Lok Sabha polls does not provide any advantage in the negotiation for the FNT issue, the ENLU expressed concern over the possibility of such move delaying the entire process.

“The ENLU members are concerned that such a decision will hinder the negotiation process, and may even lead to breakdown of the talks,” it said.

The legislators went on to assert that all the stakeholders of eastern Nagaland involved in the negotiation process should not lose sight of the common objective – the FNT, and that “any course of action that compromises this objective becomes questionable”.

However, if the non-participation in the election adversely affects the talks, the legislators should not be blamed, it added.

Copies of the statement were sent to the presidents of the ENPO and tribal bodies, including the Chang Khulei Setshang, Konyak Union, Khiamniungan Tribal Council, Phom Peoples’ Council, Tikhir Tribal Council, United Sangtam Likhum Pumji, Yimkhiung Tribal Council, Eastern Sumi Hoho, Eastern Nagaland Women Organisation and Eastern Nagaland Students’ Federation.