DIMAPUR, MAY 5 (MExN): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has written to the Nagaland Chief Minister with regard to enforcement of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873/ILP in the entire jurisdiction of Nagaland with immediate effect and with December 1963 as the cut off year.
The NTC pointed out that Nagaland State is created out of a political agreement with 16-Point Agreement of 1960 in place. “Nagaland is then equipped with the BEFR Act 1873 vis-a-vis ILP throughout the jurisdiction of Nagaland. Among many others the 16 point 16-Point Agreement states:-Rules embodied in the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873, shall remain in force in the Nagaland,” the NTC stated.
It added that this constitutional status provision is enumerated and well documented for enforcement right from the day and time of the creation of the State of Nagaland including Dimapur areas - now bifurcated into Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland districts.
The NTC stressed that the “valued agreement as referred to above cannot be altered or substituted at the cost of the future generation of the people of Nagaland.” It is a means for survival of the ethnic Naga Tribes of Nagaland in the long run, it added.
The NTC said that on top of it there is standing government notification that in order to qualify as an indigenous inhabitant of the State of Nagaland for the purpose of employment, a person should have settled permanently in Nagaland prior to December 1, 1963.
For such, the NTC said that the person’s name or parents or legitimate guardians, in case the person was then a minor should have been entered in the Electoral Roll published on 5-12-1963; or the person or his/her parents or legitimate guardian should have been paying house tax prior to 1-12-1963; or the person or his/her parents or legitimate guardian should have acquired property and Patta on it prior to 1-12-1963….”
“From the very day Nagaland was granted Statehood, the cut-off date and year to be indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland has been enforced with effect from December 1, 1963 hence the effective date and year of ILP,” it stated.
“The above mentioned agreement and notification had not extended to Dimapur areas then with the best reason known to the authority alone. The de-reservation of ILP in Dimapur areas in the initial stage had become the anti-thesis of the policy of reservation. In fact Dimapur areas becomes a safe haven for the massive migration of illegal immigrants besides being launching ground for the explosive activities, and on, and detrimental to the peaceful atmosphere and tranquility in the state,” the NTC stated.
It lamented that “even after having all these weapons of documents,” the Nagaland Government determines to enforce two cut-off dates and years ie; 1-12-1963 for the Hill District of Nagaland, and another November 21, 1979 for the plain sector of Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland Districts of Nagaland respectively “contrary to the natural law of justice.”
It mentioned that the government by a notification dated November 21, 1979 constituted another “Tribal Belt” inside the Tribal Area of Nagaland. The NTC argued that the Tribal Belt or Compact area Order as referred in the order “itself violates and contradicts the Order NO.LR/2-118/76 Dated Kohima dated November 7, 1979 which states it is considered necessary by the state government to adopt protective measures for the under mentioned classes of people who are indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland- Naga, Kuki, Kachari, Garo and Mikirs.”
It further informed that the Nagaland Government issued an order justifying the Nagas in Nagaland, dated July 6, 2009, which stated that the “List of recognized Naga Tribes in Nagaland are namely- Ao, Angami, Sumi, Lotha, Rengma, Konyak, Sangtam, Phom, Chang, Yimchunger (Now Yimkiung), Khiamnungan, Chakhesang, Zeliang, Pochury and now Tikhir of Shamator District as the 15th Naga Tribes of Nagaland.”
The NTC said that the entire Nagaland itself is a tribal state and tribal area and therefore, there is no need for another Tribal belt or Compact area to be carved out of the existing tribal area. It is also a fact that there cannot be two different cut-off dates and years in a tiny state like Nagaland, ie; 1st December 1963 for the Hill District and another 21st November 1979 for the Districts of Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland, it said.
