DIMAPUR, JULY 12 (MExN): The Nagaland Government appears to have landed in hot waters over its decision to implement the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) which has been receiving a lot of attention, mostly negative, from various sections of the society.
While questions have been raised by civil societies, student bodies and individuals over the abrupt manner in which the exercise was announced albeit without any public consultation, the NSCN (IM) on the other hand on Friday alleged that the exercise is ‘politically motivated.’
The opposition from the NSCN (IM) comes a day after the state government, in a bid to allay the fears and reservation expressed by various sections of the society over the exercise, said the process would involve and engage the civil society and citizenry of the state.
While assuring the citizens that the state government will not take any hasty decision over RIIN, a communiqué from the Home Commissioner on July 11 admitted the present exercise is a new initiative and needs consultation and deliberations with participation from all sections and stakeholders.
Terming it as contradictory to the inherent rights of the Nagas, an MIP release from the NSCN (IM) received here said the move to implement the RIIN is “politically motivated to suit the interest of the groups advocating for the 16 Point Agreement.” The Nagaland State does not and will not represent the national decision of the Naga people while stating that it was formed purely to divide the Nagas, it stated.
“All Nagas are indigenous in their ancestral homeland, which is contiguous. It is the legitimate rights and political decision of the Naga people to live together under one political roof. The Nagas do not and will not accept their division by imposed artificial state and international boundaries. This is the key focus of all Nagas and any political steps to be taken must be in conjunction with this decision.”
Pointing out that nothing is conclusive on the Naga issue, until and unless a mutually agreed honorable political solution is signed between the two entities, the NSCN (IM) therefore maintained that “any attempt to dilute the final political settlement by justifying any past accord of treasons should be seriously viewed by all Nagas.”
It also claimed that integration of all Naga territories is officially acknowledged by the Government of India as the legitimate right of the Nagas “except by a few treacherous opportunists who are opposed to it.”
"All Nagas, wherever they are, are indigenous in their land by virtue of their common history. We uphold this principle to the last and it should not be distorted by anyone under any circumstances," it stated.
Various organizations including the Naga Students Federation (NSF) and the Naga Hoho has raised questions over the exercise since it was announced.
The NSF has suggested that the RIIN exercise should be restricted to non-locals who may have taken citizenship in the State with the base year as on December 1, 1963. The federation also wanted that the exercise should not create inconvenience to the general aborigine Nagas of Nagaland.
The Naga Hoho pointed out that there was no clarity on the cut off year for identification of indigenous people, while also making it clear that the government should have debated on the issue before taking a call on it.
The RIIN exercise which was set to begin from July 10 onwards has since then been put on hold.
