No piecemeal RIIN exercise — JCPI

Dimapur, Sep. 28 (EMN): The Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) has asserted that any piecemeal exercise to implement the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) would be ‘tragic’ and an act of betrayal. In a representation submitted to the chairperson of the commission on RIIN, the JCPI stated that it was pertinent for the commission to recognise that if the BEFR 1873 is implemented in its original form in Dimapur, not even a single non-indigenous person can set up business in the state, let alone buy properties and live permanently in Nagaland. According to the committee, the commission will have to enumerate the non-indigenous residents of the state appropriately under various categories so that illegal immigrants will be identified and deported by the government through the ILP mechanism. It also reiterated that December 1, 1963 as the cut-off year to determine indigenous status of a person is non-negotiable. “So also our position on ‘native Naga’ or more commonly understood by the slogan ‘Nagas by blood’ should be studied in all seriousness by the commission. Finally the question of ‘Who is a Naga’ is about to be decided by the commission and it is expected that the commission should avoid any sort of controversy on this subject. “The legal definition of ‘who is a Naga’ is not acceptable – whether through customary law by way of conferring of so-called ‘citizenship’ or through procurement of legal documents. The one and the only definition of ‘Who is a Naga’ is someone who is born of true indigenous Naga parents,” read the statement. Under no circumstances should the GBs of Dimapur sadar/urban area be empanelled by the district administration for assistance in the RIIN exercise, it demanded. “Dimapur urban is a very crucial and sensitive area having lakhs of citizens with doubtful citizenship but the urban GBs have been accused of flagrantly issuing important documents allowing these elements to procure birth certificates, trade licenses, indigenous certificates, driving licenses, etc., in the process, all crucial documents in establishing the individual as an Indian citizen. Therefore, this demand to debar the GBs is non-negotiable. If at all assistance is required, the DUCCF (Dimapur Urban Colony Chairman Federation) representing 75 plus colonies of urban Dimapur may be enrolled for the exercise,” it stated. https://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/jcpi-input-on-the-terms-of-reference-on-riin-as-sought-by-the-commission-on-riin/