TL Angami, founder president of GB Federation of Nagaland writes to Governor
DIMAPUR, JANUARY 16 (MExN): The Founder President and Sr. Advisor of the GB Federation of Nagaland, TL Angami today submitted a memorandum to the Nagaland State Governor, PB Acharya drawing the latter’s attention to several issues including the troubling situation in Manipur, the Indo-Naga issue, 33 percent women’s reservation in Urban Local Bodies’ election, implementation of Article 371 A, oil drilling in the state and the Nagaland Foothill Road construction.
With regard to the situation in Manipur, Angami alleged that the Manipur Chief Minister has “always threatened the Nagas,” and demanded that the Manipur CM must clarify as to whether the “area of land where the Nagas are permanently living belongs to Nagas of Manipur or to the Government of Manipur?”
Pointing out the significance of the 9 Point Agreement, he urged the Naga National workers to speak out for the rights of the Nagas as enshrined in the said agreement.
Meanwhile, he stated that if the Government of India is willing to bring about an amicable and honorable settlement to the Indo-Naga issue, the GoI “must tender her apology before the Nagas for the atrocities such as burning down of the Naga Native Villages into ashes, molesting the women folk, killing thousands of innocent lives of Nagas and destroying their properties including their worship places.” He also suggested that a reasonable compensation must be paid to the real victims.
Referring to the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015 between the NSCN (IM) and the GoI, TL Angami termed this as a “door of Naga political final settlement…”
He urged all Naga leaders to “join hands and settle the Naga common goal” through the Framework Agreement, and meanwhile cautioned that “if any faction failed to join the same in order to achieve the Naga common goal the same faction or the same section of Nagas shall be held responsible.”
“And while leaders from two nation are trying to bring an honorable settlement between the Nagas and GOI, how can we allow the government of Nagaland to conduct general election in Nagaland?” he also questioned. Angami affirmed that till the Naga political final settlement is arrived at, no state general election should be held in Naga inhabited areas.
With regard to 33 percent women reservation, he cited Naga customary law and Christianity, while arguing against the reservation policy.
“According to Naga Customary Law and its practices, there was no game of competition between the men and women or there is no system of sharing of properties between the men and women since time immemorial. And according to the Christianity religion the women was created as partnership and helper of men...,” he said.
He argued that unless the women reservation is implemented within other states, it should not be implemented within the Naga inhabited area on grounds of “violation of Christian religion doctrine as well as the Naga Customary practices.” Angami urged the state government to cancel the recommendation of the cabinet decision regarding this.
He also stated that the ULB election is a separate matter not related to the reservation issue, and called for ULB polls without reservation.
Angami also chimed in on the oil exploration issue and stated that according to Article 371 A, land and its resources do not belong to Nagaland Government and as such, the Govt. of Nagaland and the landowner must work together amicably.
He stated that land owners must also follow the government decision and if any dispute arises between the Govt. and landowner, it should be reviewed immediately according to landowners’ interest. He also urged the department concerned to try locating oil in other areas as well and not only the ones where oil has already been discovered.
Regarding the Tuli paper mill, he suggested that the Government of Nagaland detail a team for “detailed verification, as to why and how the same full swing running factory has gone missing.”
On the Nagaland Foothill Road, he stated that “the illegal immigrants of Assam as well as the govt. of Assam are still claiming the 1925 boundary between the Nagas and Assam marked as foot hill road.”
“And as such, before the Naga political final settlement is arrived at if the government of Nagaland constructed the said Naga foot hill road as demanded by the NFHRCC, the illegal immigrants of Assam and the Govt. of Assam will continue to claim the said road as boundary between the two states and disturb Naga life by bandhs over the present approach road between the Nagas and Assam,” Angami claimed. He therefore stated that “before the Naga political final settlement is arrived at, the Govt. of Nagaland or NFRHCC will be better not to invite anymore problem for the Nagas by construction of such unsafe proposed project.”
Regarding Article 371A, he appealed to the NLA to implement the Article within Nagaland immediately as endorsed by the GOI under its constitution and set up the provisions mentioned, including construction of office of the Naga Customary Law in each tribal headquarters and allow the Village Chiefs and tribal Hohos to exercise their customary law.
On elections in the state, Angami said that a “One Day Census” is the only answer for clean election in Nagaland.
The Indian election can never match with Naga selection system of Nagas as per the Naga customary practices since time immemorial, he claimed.
“There is no bribery or purchase of leadership system in Naga selection issue. And according to a leadership selection system in Naga country, the Naga used to select the most capable candidate who acquired the maximum trust of the people and who do not have any blemish from his/her childhood…” Angami stated.
“One Day Census all over the state of Nagaland should be carried out without delay and the same should be implemented by the concerned Department of Election Commission of India in order to bring accurate numbers of population, voters, households etc,” he proposed.
He also argued for complete lifting of the Prohibition Act, by stating, “Arrest the drunkard fellow and keep him at lockup until surrender and allow the wife of the drunkard to draw his salary.”
Angami also called for up-gradation of sub divisions to district level, by upgrading “the whole respective Naga tribal level sub division into district level at its headquarter for Naga tribal traditional equal right.” Finally, he also asked the Governor to “issue recognition order to Tikhir Naga tribe if available off NOC from the surrounding areas which Naga traditional tribes could not be identified by the government at the initial stage.”
