James Akham
President, RCN
Responding to clarify the statement of NTC published on the issue of Rongmei recognition, The Rongmei Council Nagaland felt imperative to once again reiterate its position through the media with the intention to avert and avoid misleading of the general Naga publics by certain falsifying reflections in some local papers.
After much consideration and tolerance exercised, trying to understand the logic and rationale of NTC so formed to oppose the Govt. of Nagaland for recognizing the long left out and deprived Rongmeis of Nagaland. The RCN felt imperative to clarify certain falsifying statements of NTC attempted to possibly distort and create or make-to-believe fallacious propaganda if possible to mislead the general publics.
RCN on NTC CLARIFIED
Clarified that, the Rongmei Council Nagaland neither criticized nor complained against the formation of the NTC. The aims and objectives so far framed as rationale of NTC by its creators and founders testifies the motives of NTC leaders and members. The criticism or allegation seemingly raised by the NTC is well acknowledged. The content of the media published with the caption; “the position of Rongmei Recognition: a response” released in all local media is read to be reactive and provocative. Nevertheless, the RCN positively construed the matter to be for good.
Electoral List Of 1963 Content Rongmei:
The inherent identity of the Rongmei as a distinct Naga tribe has been recognized under the Scheduled Tribe Act 1950 of the constitution of India as Kabui which has been rectified as Rongmei distinctly by Amendment Act 2011. Therefore, the Name Kabui found in the electoral list is Rongmei. Hence Kabui’ is ‘Rongmei’ today as simple as ‘Sema’ is ‘Sumi’ and Lotha is Kyong today. At no point of time the Govt. or any Naga organization has objected to such change of Nomenclature. The question of enlisting the name of the Rongmei in the electoral roll of 1963, in the state of Nagaland in which, a particular name such as P. Lawrence Rongmei in Sl. No 335 Dimapur Town DU9, Lt. Shingkho Naga Sl. No. 336 Dimapur town DU9, Lt. Pousinglung Rongmei Sl. No.934, Dimapur Town DU3, etc were clearly mentioned and the matter justified. The rest of the electorate of the Rongmeis were mentioned as Kabui and some names without any suffix. And as such, the name of the Rongmei suffixing the personal of Rongmei was not indicated in the entire electoral list. Therefore, the remark subscribed by NTC is unjustifiable. The NTC might have overlooked the name of the Rongmei as indicated above. In fact, the present Peren district was under Kohima District and the electoral list was maintained by Kohima administration as a whole at that point of time. Ignorant of this fact, the NTC might have misconstrued. Importantly, the electoral roll in any state of India has nothing to do with the identity of a tribe, because the Constitution of India has never referred, the electoral list for the purpose of Scheduled Tribe and its recognition. The present state of Nagaland also has not made any law of the land in question of tribe or for that matter to be mentioned in electoral roll or list. What particular or peculiar reasons that matter for Rongmei to be differently or strangely treated with adverse yardstick of restraining and thrashing callously? What is more callous and apprehensive for one to out rightly deny, reject and obstruct the just cause of the Rongmeis’ hard struggle to assert their suppressed and deprived identity in the fear of opening a door for other outside tribes to enter into the state? Is this fear speculation a justice in reality? Can any good thing come by forbidding or denying one’s just cause? What retribution or payback will one get for ones’ act of injustice done to other fellow human being?
Misinterpretation Of Guwahaiti High Court Order Clarified:
The said legal order of the Guwahati High Court, is purportedly manipulated by an unknown person. The said document addressed to the Chief Secretary Govt. of Nagaland without name and date is therefore a bogus letter intended to twist and temper the legal sanction to suit to their advantage in the Court case. Such deception has been detected at-last. Whereas the bogus document has flared up creating confusion to the general publics of Nagaland through media reflections. The deceptive letter directing the concerned Govt. not to issue indigenous inhabitant certificate to the members of Rongmei community is a serious offence. Whereas the Guwahati High Court did not issue any directive pertaining to the subject matter mentioned above. In this connection, the RCN humbly appeal to the Govt. of Nagaland to verify the matter and find out the culprit responsible for manipulating the Court Order which could tantamount to contempt of Court. If such willful deception and criminal is not timely checked by the concerned Govt. authority, the Rongmeis and the general publics will be endangered without the constitutional protection.
Rongmeis Of Nagaland Fulfilled The Given Govt. Criteria:
The Rongmeis of Nagaland has fulfilled the criteria of Govt. Notification order Dt.28/04/1977 and in accordance with the Electoral Roll published on 05/12/1963. Therefore members of Rongmeis who are categorized under the criteria are very much entitled to be the indigenous Naga tribe of the state. They are entitled to get indigenous certificate for obtaining facilities of the state as enjoyed by any Naga tribes. In this connection, the govt. of Nagaland after having duly examined the requisites criteria given has enlisted the 1313 members of the Rongmei Community, with the assent of the Governor of Nagaland. The procedure for recognition of the Rongmei as one of the Naga tribes of the state is guaranteed and guided by the constitution of India under art 371 (a) for Nagaland state. In the exercise of such provision of laws, the state Govt. with the assent of the governor had passed the order of the Rongmei recognition as legal after fulfilling all required criteria and qualifications in accordance with the practice of traditional laws and customs of the Naga society.
NTC allegations Clarified:
The faultfinding point of the NTC quoting again and again of the misread article of RCN, Dt.30th September 2007, slicing out an incomplete sentence sequence, “There is no Rongmei’s land in Peren district till date” to be one reason picked to pull down the rights of recognition of the Rongmei. It is to justly clarify here that, the intention of the point was to state the fact that, the Rongmei people did not forcefully claim or posses an inch of land in Peren District or for that matter never created problems on land issue till date. It does not meant that the Rongmei don’t own a landed property in the present Peren district. The question of Sema and Angami recognized in the state of Manipur is very much a matter and reference to the present conflict. The question of enjoyed or not/ claim or not the facilities by members of said communities does not mattered here. Because the NTC could neither produce nor justify with any evidence whether the said members of the said communities were aggrieved or deprived in the state or being rejected by fellow Naga communities living there? The NTC has rightly said, that, the Govt. notification dt 28/04/1977 is without bias. In the said order, there is nothing sort of dual indigenous Naga tribal status given. The presumption of NTC pertaining to the Rongmei citizen of the other states would threaten the facility taking the name of those duly recognized members of the Rongmei in the state is undesirable outcry of the NTC. The RCN sincerely and heartily appeal to the NTC leaders/members not to be apprehensive over such unfounded speculation. The genuine pride being focused by NTC as Published on 21st August 2014, Morung Expressed Quote, “NTC takes pride to state that till date all Nagas hailing from different states and region enjoy equal Naga tribal status without any discrimination or distinction within the state of Nagaland”. Notwithstanding the fact stated above, the NTC is reflecting wrong views/paradoxical perception against their own focused view. Quote, “The NTC is of the view that an individual member of a particular tribe having immovable property or having resided in the state over a considerable length of time does not qualify his whole tribe to be recognized as an indigenous tribe of Nagaland. Here the NTC wrongly perceives that the RCN is claiming the whole residents of Rongmei communities in the state of Nagaland, to be accommodated within the ambit of 1313 recognized by the Govt. of Nagaland. Such misapprehension, overtone or wrong connotation may needlessly provoke the Rongmei people that may create undue or unwarranted incidence or situation. Moreover, it will be wise on the part of NTC to avoid fingering to minority groups of communities particularly to Rongmeis of Nagaland, restraining/restricting their rightful claim. The last para, conclusion of the NTC Response (Ibid) mentioned, in which the NTC attempt to address the tribal recognition, complications, blunders, distrusts, bitterness and hatred out of the issue that has taken place” sounds otherwise and self reflecting. Here we appeals the leaders of the NTC to think on the other side of the coin as well and try to sort out our differences that seems to divides us on the issue of tribal recognition. In the process of which, many needless complications, bitterness and hatred may tend us to fall short of the glory of the Naga common aspiration to live together as a people. Let us walk out from these petty things together through creative and positive talk on mutual basis of reasoning and understanding. Let us come out together committed to work for the greater interest of the common Naga cause on mutual trust and integrity for peace and harmony to prevail in the land.
