Nagaland govt issues directive

EMN Dimapur, April 16 In the interest of public peace and tranquility and to maintain peace and harmony between different tribes and sub-tribes of the State, State Commissioner, Sentiyanger Imchen, has ordered that no conference/ religious gatherings/ jubilee celebrations organized by student unions, tribal bodies, churches and Non-Governmental Organisations should be allowed in any place which is likely to invite tension and clashes along tribal or sub-tribal lines. In an office memorandum, Imchen stated that Nagaland being inhabited by a number of tribes and sub-tribes, occurrences of tensions and clashes along tribal/ sub-tribal lines could not be ruled out as has been borne by recent incidents in Tuensang, Chendang Saddle, Shamator and Kiphire. He further stated that such occurrences are more likely during conferences/ religious gathering/ jubilee celebrations organised by student unions, tribal bodies, churches and non-governmental organizations. Moreover, such tensions and clashes result in arson, loss of life, displacement of people and damage of property, creating serious law and order situations. The memorandum mentioned that there are some unresolved issues and disputes between some tribes and sub-tribes as a result of which there is already latent tensions and animosity between the opposing parties. He said such latent tensions and animosity are accentuated and brought to the fore when conference/ religious gatherings/ jubilee celebrations organized are proposed to be held in a places which are under dispute between two tribes/ sub-tribes. The office memorandum was issued in pursuance of the directive of the State Cabinet (Vide No. CAB-2/2013 dated Kohima, the 30th December 2015) and in partial modification of the Commissioner’s Office OM (of even number dated 4th April 2007).