DIMAPUR, JULY 16 (MExN): With the consultation on the implementation of the Registry of Indigenous Inhabitants (RIIN) scheduled for July 17, the Naga Mother’s Association (NMA) and Nagaland Voluntary Consumers Organisation (NVCO) joined the chorus of concern echoed by several organizations over the RIIN.
The NMA in a press release, while appreciating a mechanism like RIIN to identify indigenous inhabitants, however felt that “it needs a larger discussion within the State Legislature as well as with various stakeholders, before an immediate implementation of this massive exercise is taken.”
“The backlash of Assam’s NRC needs to be taken into perspective so that a larger awareness and public discourse and sensitisation is done before RIIN is undertaken,” it added. “We are equally concerned for the future and protection of the rights of our younger generation, but not at the cost of stifling public discourse and consultations, which is the inherent right of Indigenous People of the state,” the NMA said.
It meanwhile informed that the NMA has supported extension of the ILP over Dimapur, but was surprised that the State Government has not implemented recommendations to such effect till date.
It demanded extension and implementation of the ILP at the earliest to Dimapur and foothill areas, with mechanisms enumerated in successive Committee Reports; withdrawal of the RIIN government notification; and public consultation be held without any preconditions on RIIN, recognising the rights of Indigenous people to determine what is best for the people.
It further stated that pressures from the Central Government for early implementation, be it in the form of NRC or RIIN, should not override the “age old democratic process of consultations, both at the state and grassroots levels for such policies, in the interest of Indigenous People of the state.”
Don’t implement RIIN at this stage: NVCO
A press release from the NVCO media cell meanwhile advised the government “not to implement RIIN at this stage.”
It said that the priority should be to first check fake/false certificates of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland already issued by the competent authority, effectively implement and enforce the Inner Line Regulation (ILR) of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873 in the entire state of Nagaland, and protect the rights of the Naga Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland as provided under Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India.
It asserted that “Nagas of Nagaland can never allow any agency or policy to dilute Article 371A of the Indian Constitution.” The NVCO added that if the State Government is truly serious in protecting the rights of Naga indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland, “then first of all effectively implement the existing laws and do not jump by way of short cut such as RIIN.”
It called upon the State Government to admit that a lot of certificates of indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland have been issued wrongly; that it has failed to check non-indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland owning land within the territory of Nagaland; and has also failed in the implementation of Inner Line Regulation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 to the extent that “today the non-nagas and illegal immigrants almost control the markets in the state.”
