Zeliangrong orgs. demands immediate review on tribe recognition

Our Correspondent

Imphal, May 2 (EMN): Various Zeliangrong organisations have demanded immediate ‘review’ of the decision of the “Tatar Hoho” of the NSCN-IM during a meeting held on March 23 giving recognition to a number of tribes as ‘separate’ namely the Zeme, Liangmai, and Rongmei.

An ultimatum in this regard was served setting April 30,2018 as the deadline, leaders of the Zeliangrong bodies told reporters in Imphal on Wednesday.

The leaders of the Zeliangrong bodies include the Zeliangrong Baudi (ZB; Assam, Manipur and Nagaland), Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF), and the All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (AZSU).

The president of the ZB, Athuan Abonmei, said to uphold the stand of Raitu Chawang, former president of the ZB during the August 25 consultative meeting that ‘there will be problems if Zeliangrong interests are not addressed while solving the Naga political issues.’

The president of the ZYF, Titus Kamei, also said that the Zeliangrong people ‘will remain as it is.’ President Nchaheing Kompong of the AZSU and other leaders and representatives of the Zeliangrong bodies also spoke of similar sentiments during the press briefing.

‘It is unfortunate that such a major issue involving the Naga national constituents especially the Zeliangrong people had been taken hastily and arbitrarily at a timer Naga soul finds heart throbbing aspiration for the Indo-Naga political solution,’ the joint statement added.