EMN
DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 25
The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) has resolved to boycott the Statehood Day celebration on December 1 in the four districts of Tuensang , Mon, Longleng and Kiphire in protest against failure of the State government to implement the agreement made with it on November 26, 2013.
Alleging that the State government has failed the Eastern Nagas, ENSF president Shahsha L. Menhahu and general secretary Honang M. Jessuhu, in a release today, said the decision to this effect was taken at an emergency meeting.
During the boycott, there will be complete shutdown from 6 am to 6 pm with all business establishments and educational institutions remaining closed. No public or vehicular movement will be entertained, movement of government vehicles (NL-10) will be restricted and no public will participate in the Statehood Day celebration programme, the ENSF release said. However, police and medical services will be exempted from the purview of the boycott.
In this connection, the ENSF asked its federating units – Konyak Students’ Union (KSU), Confederation of Chang Students’ Conference (CCSU), Phom Students’ Conference (PSC), Khiamniungan Students’ Union (KSU), United Sangtam Students’ Conference (USSC) and Yimchunger Akheru Ariako (YAA) – to immediately act on its directive for boycott of the Statehood Day celebration in the four districts until further order.
The release said in pursuance to the letter served by ENSF Vide No: DES/ENSF-REM-LETTRE-C.S/GOVT, AGREEMENT/ 26th NOV’ 2013-14 (1), dated 18/6/14, the office of the Chief Secretary has responded to the Federation Vide No: CS/EDS-1/20014 Dated, Kohima the 15th Nov’ 2014.
However, the Federation expressed dismay that the State government has failed to address the grievances of the six backward tribes of Eastern Nagaland – Yinchunger, Chang, Konyak, Phom, Khiamniungan and Sangtam. Therefore, it termed the agreement and assurance of the State government as a false promise and lamented that all the commitments and assurances made therein had remained only in paper and are still left unfulfilled.
The ENSF said on November 26, 2013, the State government had agreed, on account of numerous with- post transfer from the four districts of Eastern Nagaland and shortages of teachers in the region, to compensate 790 posts of teachers who would be posted in the schools on day one of the 2014 academic session. In the event of failure to compensate, the State government shall create posts and provide the same.
It was also agreed that 304 posts of police personnel under the department of Home would be reserved for recruitment from the six backward tribes of Eastern Nagaland. The advertisement of and the recruitment of the same would be completed within the financial year 2014-15.
With regard to mid-day meal, it was agreed that the department will give a written assurance letter to the Federation for proper implementation as per guidelines of MDM. However, the Federation had not received any assurance from the department on the same so far.
For failure to implement the agreed points and attending to the basic need of its eastern citizens, the Federation declared Nagaland as a “failed state”. “Justice, equality, liberty and fraternity” as envisaged in the preamble of the Indian Constitution have been denied to the Eastern Nagas, the ENSF said and hence, it sees no reason why the Eastern Nagas can be considered as the integral part of the Indian Union as stated in the preamble. “If the Constitution does not govern us, we are a free Nagas,” it added.
