This article offers a pen-picture of the Eastern Nagas necessitating their movement for grant of separate state. The attempt made herein, may perhaps, answer various questions, confusions doubts, in this connection, appeared in some local dailies in Nagaland recently.
In the concept of Political movement, it is well known to every body that Eastern Nagas are fore- runner of the Naga National movement and our enormous contribution and sacrifices are never forgettable. The Eastern Nagas will always struggle along with all Nagas for the Naga cause and remains with this movement even as a separate province as in when common goal is achieved.
The demand is for slicing out a separate state viz “Frontier Nagaland” consists of four most Backward District with six major Naga tribes. The reason for such a movement is for development and welfare of the people in eastern Nagaland. Eastern Nagas have been neglected by the successive Government, our talents have been suppressed, our development have been stalled, our basic demands never redressed. Our Fundamental Rights to have equal share with the ADVANCE brethren, have been denied since the inception as a full-fledge state of Nagaland.
As already said, there were enormous contribution and sacrifices from the six backward tribes for Formation of Present Nagaland State. These six tribes of Eastern Nagaland being situated in Indo-Myanmer border, devoid of communication, were economically and educationally backward compared to those Advance tribes of Nagaland. The Eastern Nagas will continue to remain backward because of the step-motherly attitude and negligence by our fellow advance tribes who were and are at the helm of all Government functionaries. Instead of paying special attention for bringing those six backward tribes at-par with other Naga tribes, the gap become wider and wider and the Eastern Nagas falls much behind of our fellow tribes. Few short examples below elucidate the selfish attitude of the advance tribes towards the Eastern tribes.
There is no proper all-weather road communication in many parts of Eastern Nagaland. Conditions of the existing road are pathetic which may be verified personally by the elite persons from the advance tribes and see for themselves how the backward are treated by the successive Governments. Huge amount of money are sanction for the development of Eastern Naga areas. The contracts works are allotted to the relatives and favorites of Ministers, Secretaries etc who are from advance tribes, depriving the eligible local contractors and the money is drawn without doing any work. The Eastern Naga people had to remain mute spectators, No complaints what so ever will receive positive attention at Kohima, the state capital where the Eastern Nagas are treated as no better than the Bangladesh refugees.
There is no proper water supply in most parts of Eastern Naga areas, the people are suffering from non- availability of drinking water. Use of water from streams, villages made uncovered reservoir are often causing water borne disease. There is no electricity in many villages till date; there are no good colleges for higher Education. The number of High schools, ME schools and LP Schools which are much less than the requirement, are in deplorable condition. The teachers belonging to advance tribes posted to the schools in the Eastern areas are habitual absentees and get scot-free even after repeated complaints form the VDBs. Many schools are without the minimum requirement of teachers for months together. There is no proper hospitals even in the Districts and Sub-Divisional Headquarter, the existing Public health Centre are totally neglected, no medicine for the patients, posting of good Doctors, Medical officers in Eastern areas are remain a dream.
Inspite of being neglected and ill treatment, many youth struggled hard to pursue their studies and become eligible for Government employment. But alas, due to the partisan attitude, unemployment of qualified youths in Eastern areas is looming large. Unemployment is one of the root causes of social evils and unrest. A recent incidence of how the youth from Eastern Nagas are deprived of getting employment in given below.
It has come to light that nearly 7000 Government employees have been retired by the mass superannuation, time bound retirement. Out of these 7000 vacancies Eastern Nagas are entitle to get 1750 posts in the various categories if the declared policies of 25% reservation for the Six Backward tribes are implemented. Where as the Government has notify some or more 400 posts. The question is what happened to the remaining around 6600 vacancies. Where is 25% job reservation for appointment of Six Backward tribes. The Police HQ have appointed some 30 or more persons as ABSI and ASIs directly without making requisition through NPSE or conducting departmental examination who are undergoing training now, there is not a single appointment from the Six backward tribes even in these more than 30 candidates. The discrimination thus goes and goes on unabated.
Coming to the people representative, every one pointing finger towards the MLA selected from these Four Districts for their failures to redress the problems faced by the people. From the inception of the State hood till today, none of the representative was given important assignments/ portfolio in the Legislative Assembly. In this context also if one goes through carefully, it will be seen that the chunk of the Creamy Layers have been distributed amongst the MLAs from advance tribes depriving the people from Eastern Naga. It is not because of their lack of capability but for their partisan attitude only.
Having failed to get their genuine grievances redressed by the successive Government, their negligence and selfish attitude toward Eastern Nagas, their attitude ton suppress the talents of the people, suppress the development of the areas in all sphere, the Eastern Nagas have now realized their differences with the advance Naga tribes. The people have realized that remaining together with people having selfish attitude would only deprive our fundamental Rights to live with self respect and that no development can usher in the area. The separation therefore, has become imperative which demands for a separate state called “Frontier Nagaland”.
In the concept of Political movement, it is well known to every body that Eastern Nagas are fore- runner of the Naga National movement and our enormous contribution and sacrifices are never forgettable. The Eastern Nagas will always struggle along with all Nagas for the Naga cause and remains with this movement even as a separate province as in when common goal is achieved.
The demand is for slicing out a separate state viz “Frontier Nagaland” consists of four most Backward District with six major Naga tribes. The reason for such a movement is for development and welfare of the people in eastern Nagaland. Eastern Nagas have been neglected by the successive Government, our talents have been suppressed, our development have been stalled, our basic demands never redressed. Our Fundamental Rights to have equal share with the ADVANCE brethren, have been denied since the inception as a full-fledge state of Nagaland.
As already said, there were enormous contribution and sacrifices from the six backward tribes for Formation of Present Nagaland State. These six tribes of Eastern Nagaland being situated in Indo-Myanmer border, devoid of communication, were economically and educationally backward compared to those Advance tribes of Nagaland. The Eastern Nagas will continue to remain backward because of the step-motherly attitude and negligence by our fellow advance tribes who were and are at the helm of all Government functionaries. Instead of paying special attention for bringing those six backward tribes at-par with other Naga tribes, the gap become wider and wider and the Eastern Nagas falls much behind of our fellow tribes. Few short examples below elucidate the selfish attitude of the advance tribes towards the Eastern tribes.
There is no proper all-weather road communication in many parts of Eastern Nagaland. Conditions of the existing road are pathetic which may be verified personally by the elite persons from the advance tribes and see for themselves how the backward are treated by the successive Governments. Huge amount of money are sanction for the development of Eastern Naga areas. The contracts works are allotted to the relatives and favorites of Ministers, Secretaries etc who are from advance tribes, depriving the eligible local contractors and the money is drawn without doing any work. The Eastern Naga people had to remain mute spectators, No complaints what so ever will receive positive attention at Kohima, the state capital where the Eastern Nagas are treated as no better than the Bangladesh refugees.
There is no proper water supply in most parts of Eastern Naga areas, the people are suffering from non- availability of drinking water. Use of water from streams, villages made uncovered reservoir are often causing water borne disease. There is no electricity in many villages till date; there are no good colleges for higher Education. The number of High schools, ME schools and LP Schools which are much less than the requirement, are in deplorable condition. The teachers belonging to advance tribes posted to the schools in the Eastern areas are habitual absentees and get scot-free even after repeated complaints form the VDBs. Many schools are without the minimum requirement of teachers for months together. There is no proper hospitals even in the Districts and Sub-Divisional Headquarter, the existing Public health Centre are totally neglected, no medicine for the patients, posting of good Doctors, Medical officers in Eastern areas are remain a dream.
Inspite of being neglected and ill treatment, many youth struggled hard to pursue their studies and become eligible for Government employment. But alas, due to the partisan attitude, unemployment of qualified youths in Eastern areas is looming large. Unemployment is one of the root causes of social evils and unrest. A recent incidence of how the youth from Eastern Nagas are deprived of getting employment in given below.
It has come to light that nearly 7000 Government employees have been retired by the mass superannuation, time bound retirement. Out of these 7000 vacancies Eastern Nagas are entitle to get 1750 posts in the various categories if the declared policies of 25% reservation for the Six Backward tribes are implemented. Where as the Government has notify some or more 400 posts. The question is what happened to the remaining around 6600 vacancies. Where is 25% job reservation for appointment of Six Backward tribes. The Police HQ have appointed some 30 or more persons as ABSI and ASIs directly without making requisition through NPSE or conducting departmental examination who are undergoing training now, there is not a single appointment from the Six backward tribes even in these more than 30 candidates. The discrimination thus goes and goes on unabated.
Coming to the people representative, every one pointing finger towards the MLA selected from these Four Districts for their failures to redress the problems faced by the people. From the inception of the State hood till today, none of the representative was given important assignments/ portfolio in the Legislative Assembly. In this context also if one goes through carefully, it will be seen that the chunk of the Creamy Layers have been distributed amongst the MLAs from advance tribes depriving the people from Eastern Naga. It is not because of their lack of capability but for their partisan attitude only.
Having failed to get their genuine grievances redressed by the successive Government, their negligence and selfish attitude toward Eastern Nagas, their attitude ton suppress the talents of the people, suppress the development of the areas in all sphere, the Eastern Nagas have now realized their differences with the advance Naga tribes. The people have realized that remaining together with people having selfish attitude would only deprive our fundamental Rights to live with self respect and that no development can usher in the area. The separation therefore, has become imperative which demands for a separate state called “Frontier Nagaland”.
Yanglikhum Sangtam
Bazar Sector B Tuensang
Bazar Sector B Tuensang
