ENPO accepts GoI’s Frontier Naga Territory offer

DIMAPUR — In a significant development, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) on Tuesday announced that it has accepted the formation of Frontier Naga Territory (FNT) offered by the Government of India.

The ENPO in a press communiqué on Tuesday disclosed that following a series of meetings with officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs and involving the state government, the formation of FNT with legislative, executive, administrative and financial autonomy, was proposed.

The organisation stated that the “performance of the proposed set-up shall be reviewed after a period of 10 years to assess its efficacy to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the Eastern Nagaland Region.”

“Considering the sentiments of our Naga brothers and sisters towards unity and togetherness we have accepted the proposal without insisting on dividing the Nagaland State,” ENPO said.

“We take this esteemed opportunity to reach out to all our Naga brothers and sisters, to share with you our hopes and joy as we embark on this new arrangement,” ENPO conveyed “warm greetings” to everyone on behalf of the seven eastern tribes – Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir, and Yimkhiung.

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The eastern Naga organisation pointed out that by an Act of Parliament under Article 371 A, Clause (1) sub-clause (d), a special provision was inserted to administer the areas of eastern Nagaland – the present ENPO areas – as a special instrument to look after the special needs of the people of these areas.

Also, Clause (2) sub-clause (b) read that “where any money is provided by the Govt. of India to the Govt. of Nagaland to meet the requirement of the State of Nagaland as a whole, the Governor shall in his discretion arrange for an equitable allocation of that money between the Tuensang district and the rest of the State.”

But the clauses had not “brought any desired effect,” ENPO stated.

While acknowledging the efforts of successive governments of the state in more recent years to bring the people of the eastern Nagaland area at par with the more advanced areas of Nagaland, ENPO however asserted that due to lack of basic foundations, the eastern Nagaland areas are still behind the rest of the Nagas by “much more than a century’s gap.”

“Advancements and progress will remain a far cry in these combative milieus of the present century unless these areas are looked after by granting and fulfilling the demand and aspiration of a Statehood under special provision and status in line with Article 371 (A),” it maintained.

And the ENPO, an apex organisation representing seven tribal communities of the six districts of the eastern Nagaland region, had been pursuing the demand for a separate state for more than a decade, based on various reasons including historical backgrounds and socio-economic backwardness, it stated.

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ENPO submitted a memorandum to the Government of India on November 25, 2010 demanding a separate statehood, and formal talks were initiated in the year 2015.

Despite several rounds of talks, with the participation of both the Government of India through the MHA and the state government of Nagaland, the issue remained unresolved.

The ENPO further stated that the state government in its wisdom and farsightedness took paramount importance of the movement and in its report to the Govt. of India in 2011, had recommended formation of an Autonomous Council/Authority. But this rejected by the people of eastern Nagaland.

“This is as much of a test for us as it is a significant responsibility to pursue development and advancement to prove that, given the opportunity that we can indeed do well. We stand on the threshold of this dialogue; we hope to move forward courageously with the prayers and blessings of our fellow Nagas to a future where we can be equal contributors to the prosperity of our Naga fraternity,” ENPO stated.

ENPO appealed to the state government and the Naga brothers and sisters to extend all support towards fulfilling the demand of the people of eastern Nagaland.

State govt. postpones consultative meeting

Against the backdrop of ENPO’s statement on Frontier Naga Territory (FNT), Principal Secretary, Home, Abhijit Sinha, in a notification informed that the consultative meeting in regard to the “proposed proposal for constitution of an Autonomous Council” for the six eastern districts of the state, scheduled on June 30 in Kohima, has been postponed due to “unavoidable reasons till further notice.”