Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, MARCH 19
THE apex Hohos of ten constituent tribes of the Nagaland Foothill Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) on Wednesday threw their weight behind the NFHRCC by re-affirming that they would not allow the Foothill road project to be politicized “in any manner whatsoever.” Leaders of at least nine tribal Hohos – Sumi, Ao, Chang, Sangtam, Konyak, Yimchunger, Khiamniungan, Phom and Rengma – are scheduled to meet the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday to notify him of the same and to tell him that “if the same is violated by any tribe/person the apex Hohos will not tolerate it in any manner.” This decision was taken at a joint meeting of the ten apex hohos and NFHRCC members here today in Dimapur.
Kyong Hoho, the other constituent member did not attend the meeting, reportedly at the instruction of its executive committee. They however relayed a message, through the representatives of Lower Lotha Range Public organization, that the Kyong Hoho has “no problem” with the NFHRCC.
Perhaps more pertinently, the meeting also noted that since the Kyong Hoho was still a constituent member of the NFHRCC, the resolutions arrived at on Wednesday would be deemed as approved by all the ten constituent apex Hohos.
Subsequently, they “resolved that whatever the NFHRCC acts or does, the same is to be treated as an act or action of the apex Hohos.”
“The apex Hohos also warns not to personalize the matter and in the event if the same continues it will be treated as an attack n the apex Hohos and for which necessary action will be initiated,” read one of the resolutions.
The ten tribal Hohos also resolved to ask the Nagaland Contractors and Suppliers’ Union (NCSU) to immediately withdraw “their news statement in respect of the Foothill road project” failing which the NCSU members would not be allowed to “execute any contract works within the jurisdiction of the ten tribes.”
They also took note of the fact that “the statement made to the effect that there are no competent contractors from the Lotha tribe is a result of statements made by the Lotha representatives (to the NFHRCC). Therefore, the public should not be confused.”
The statement about the competence (or incompetence) of Lotha contractors was made due to the fact that there were not any Class-I contractors who had voluntarily came forward when the committee was searching for a contractor to take up the construction works without any money, the NFHRCC stated.
“It is made very clear that theNFHRCC is constituted on the strength of the apex Hohos. Therefore no one is allowed to undermine the majesty and dignity of the NFHRCC. It is also resolved by the apex Hohos that there is no reason to tender apology by the NFHRCC before any forum in respect of ongoing foothill road construction.”
The rest of the resolution states that:
– It is resolved by the apex Hohos to ask all the contractors and MLAs not to interfere with the ongoing foothill road construction.
– It is fully established that the foothill road is extra ordinary project. Therefore the project should be executed among three organs namely: Government, department concerned and NFHRCC.
– It is also resolved by the 10 Apex hohos to press upon the Government to immediately stop the unauthorized construction carried out by 1st class Lotha contractors.
– It is also resolved that the 10 apex Hohos thoroughly dismiss the baseless statements made by the honorable MLA, Mmhonlumo Kikon.
