Dimapur, March 19 (EMN): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has written to the new chief minister of Nagaland to act for resolution to a number of long-standing issues concerning the state encompassing policy, administration and community resources. The NTC issued to the media a copy of a representation addressed to Chief Minister Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu, on Sunday.
The NTC specified the issues concerning the recognition given to the Rongmei community, Nagaland Special Development Zone, Nagaland Land and Revenue Act, Intanki National Park, BEFR Act, the Gaidinliu Memorial Hall at Kohima, Disturbed Area Act, and proposed Uniform Civil Code.
Recognition to Rongmei as Nagaland tribe
The NTC has stated that land and people are synonymous and cannot be separated. “Records are clear that Rongmeis have no ancestral land in Nagaland, and therefore they cannot be given indigenous Naga tribe status in Nagaland,” the representation stated. The organisation has again urged the chief minister to ‘heed and respond positively’ to bring the issue to a ‘logical conclusion.’
Nagaland Special Development Zone
Regarding the ‘special development zones,’ the NTC stated that the entire intention of the NSDZ was to curve out the plains sector of Nagaland state “for outsiders for permanent settlement.” Such decision is “anti-state and suicidal for the present and posterity. It should therefore be revoked without further delay,” the representation has stated.
Nagaland Land and Revenue (amendment) Act of 1978
Also, the NTC has urged the Nagaland government to protect the rights of indigenous people, their land and ‘properties’ and guard them from “external exploitations.” Much water, it stated, has flown during the past 39 years since the law came into effect. “The NTC is apprehensive that we have gone awry with the law all the while,” it stated and urged the government to implement the law in letter and in spirit. “The NTC once again urges the government of the day to send necessary instructions to the concern deputy commissioners, revenue officers and village authorities to strictly adhere to the law and protect our land and properties.”
Intanki National Park
The organisation has also called for protection of the reserved forest. “It is a known fact that there have been rampant encroachments on the area of this invaluable asset of ours. Also there has been devastation of forest by private individuals in connivance with all type of elements,” the NTC stated without naming any. The NTC has urged the Nagaland government “not to remain helpless spectator to these destructive activities” but rise to the occasion to protect the national park, and without delay.
Also, the NTC has asked the Nagaland government to bring Dimapur areas under the purview of the ILP. Dimapur is inalienable part of Nagaland and the entire state jurisdiction is a tribal belt and equally vulnerable, it stated. “The NTC therefore urges the government of the day to take necessary steps to enforce Inner Line Regulation system all over the state.”
Further, the government of Nagaland is asked to rename the Gaidinliu Memorial Hall and “use the infrastructure for meaningful purpose.” The NTC stated that a chief minister of Manipur had rightfully claimed Rani Gaidinliu as ‘daughter of Manipur’s soil since she belonged to Tamenlong.’ Venerations accorded to her already or to be accorded to her in future by anyone outside Nagaland is not a ‘botheration’ of the NTC, the representation stated. “Yet, Gaidinliu was solely responsible for murdering those NNC cadres in 1965 and she is anti-Naga. The NTC will never allow Nagaland to be converted into a launching pad for such cult leader or alien culture of idol worship while reaffirming its opposition against deification of Gaidinliu in Nagaland...”
The NTC has also asked the government to impress upon the central government to revoke the Disturbed Area Act from Nagaland. ‘if the government of India is at all honest and sincere at ceasefire and dialogue, the Disturbed Area Act, an action of suppression, cannot be imposed on Nagaland any longer,’ it stated. The Nagaland government has been urged to take ‘immediate’ steps and impress upon the central government to “revoke extension of ‘terrorism tag’ of Disturbed Area Act in the entire state of Nagaland.”
The organisation has requested the state government approach the Union Law Commission and the central authorities to excluded Nagaland from the purview of the proposed Uniform Civil Code. That way, the representation stated, “the inalienable provisions of Article 371A of the Constitution of India remain undisturbed.”
