MOKOKCHUNG, OCTOBER 10 (MExN): The Ao Senden on Wednesday emphasized the need for strict enforcement of the Registration of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) with a cut-off date set for December 1, 1963 for non-indigenous individuals in order to safeguard the interest and indigenousness of the tribals of Nagaland state.
While welcoming the steps taken by the state government for effective implementation of RIIN, the Ao Senden, in a press release, highlighted that as long as Nagaland is protected under Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India, it is essential to ensure that Indigenous tribals are safeguarded in matters related to land ownership, education, employment, and business opportunities.
On the matter of inner line pass regulations for the districts of Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland, the Ao Senden urged the state government to reconsider its decision to use two cut-off years—December 1, 1963 and November 21, 1979—for issuing the pass.
It asserted that the primary purpose of the inner line pass is to protect Indigenous tribals from the influx of outsiders. And therefore to preserve their identity and prevent being overwhelmed by non-indigenous populations, the cut-off date of December 1, 1963 should be exclusively applied.
