Tribal leaders (Left) from the seven Eastern Nagaland tribes and MHA Committee members (Right) at the meeting hall in Tuensang on December 17.
Morung Express News
Tuensang/Kiphire | December 17
Following their arrival in Tuensang on December 16, the three-member Committee of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has held meetings with various sections of the eastern Naga communities.
As per sources, during the meetings, the Committee stated that it was here to acknowledge, understand, and analyse the demand for Frontier Nagaland raised by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO). They also reportedly stated that the Government of India is taking the demand seriously and as such, the situation would be assessed and forwarded to the MHA and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Committee which is led by MHA Advisor (Northeast) AK Mishra with Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau Dr Mandeep Singh, and Director of the Northeast division, MHA AK Dhaniya is also said to have stated that the Home Minister assured to solve ENPO demand in time-bound manner.
On the part of the ENPO, it reportedly told the Committee that ‘Frontier Nagaland’ is being pursued basing on a people’s referendum from the grassroots, sources said.
The ENPO and its talk team are also said to have highlighted ‘overall discrimination faced by the people of Eastern Nagaland’ and reaffirmed that it would stick to the resolution that was recently adopted, if its ‘demand for Frontier Nagaland is not address appropriately and satisfactorily.’
The resolutions here refer to the August 26 and October 14, 2022 resolutions which pertain to boycott of Parliamentary elections as well as the state Assembly elections.
The meetings on Saturday were held with leaders of the tribal bodies representing the Chang, Konyak, Khiamniungan, Phom, Sangtam, Yimkhiung, and Tikhir communities, the Eastern Nagaland Women Organisation (ENWO) and Eastern Nagaland Students’ Federation (ENSF), along with a joint meeting with the Gaon Buras, Dobashis and senior citizens and the district administration of the seven districts that make up the ENPO areas.
Meanwhile, it was also learned that the Committee, apart from the scheduled meetings, also met with the Hindu and Muslim communities.
The Committee will reportedly be visiting the hospital and government school in Tuensang and the International Trade Centre, Dan, Pangsha in Noklak district before leaving for Kohima on December 18.
