Naga tribes body issues deadline to Nagaland government for feedback on autonomous territory

GUWAHATI

The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has set October 31 as the deadline for the Nagaland government to give the Centre its views on creating an autonomous territory comprising six districts of the northeastern State bordering Myanmar.

The ENPO, an apex organisation representing seven Naga tribes, has been spearheading the demand for the creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) comprising six districts — Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang.

In December 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs asked the Neiphiu Rio-led Nagaland government to provide feedback on the “highlights of a draft memorandum of settlement” with the ENPO concerning the FNT. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a minor partner in Nagaland’s coalition government headed by the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP).

The leaders of the ENPO and its constituent tribal bodies held a coordination and consultative meeting in Mon town on Friday (October 11, 2024). They decided to set the deadline in their third letter in two months on October 11, seeking the government’s views on the FNT.

In the second letter, on September 14, the ENPO urged the government to take the matter seriously and uphold the spirit of collective responsibility outlined in Article 164 (2) of the Constitution of India while sharing its views on the draft settlement.

The ENPO said it was unfortunate that “the issue is being stalemated for reasons best known to the State government” and that it would hold another meeting on November 1 to decide what to do next.

The demand for the FNT stemmed from the State government’s alleged neglect of six eastern districts of Nagaland. It erupted ahead of Nagaland’s 60th Statehood Day in 2023, with the people of eastern Nagaland boycotting the Hornbill Festival, a major event showcasing the culture of all Naga and non-Naga communities in the State.

They also boycotted the election to the State’s lone Lok Sabha seat in April. No vote was cast in the six eastern districts straddling 20 of Nagaland’s 60 Assembly seats.