Dimapur, September 13 (MExN): Even as the State Cabinet approved the final draft recommendations, which was presented to the State government by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas on Wednesday, the Kyong (Lotha) Hoho has critically viewed the “arbitrary action of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) on Petroleum and Gas as suppressive, alienating and hence anti-people”. It has taken the view that people in governance are of “ill-intent” and placed its own set of demands.
The Kyong Hoho has made it clear it will stand by its decision that Kyong Hoho will not accept anything short of its submitted modality. The Kyong Hoho also stated that it will never permit any mineral, including Petroleum and Gas, in our land to be explored or extracted if our experiences and our submission are not respected and accepted. It cautioned that any consequent fallout will be entirely the responsibility of the government and it’s Cabinet Sub-Committee.
Sources informed that the state Cabinet in its meeting today after thorough deliberation on the related final draft, has approved the recommendations, which will now be tabled in the forthcoming session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
The Kyong Hoho, in a press statement, reiterated that “Article 371 (A) of the Constitution of India is the sum total of the recognition of the rights of the Naga people. In exercise of this Article, the Nagas conduct their lives and state of affairs unlike fellow citizens from the rest of the country. This recognition is to be advanced so as to strengthen the rights of the Naga people and their land.”
In the history of oil and its exploitation in Nagaland, the people of Wokha are “the most victimized, suppressed and subjugated,” and have “borne the brunt of the suffering in the process of exploration and exploitation, exposed to numerous health hazards,” said the Lotha Hoho in its representation signed by Chairman (Yansathung Jami) and Presidents of both Kohima (Nchumbemo Tungoe) and Dimapur (Ntsemo Ngullie). The Hoho alleged that the suffering inflicted on their people was a result of arbitrary decisions imposed on them, their land and their mineral resources.
Albeit these circumstances, the Kyong Hoho “saw a window of hope in the approach of the state government in its process of finalizing the Modality for Petroleum and Gas.” The Kyong Hoho had submitted a meticulous plan to the CSC on P&G drawn from their experience that would be helpful to Naga people for centuries, keeping in mind progressive and sustainable ideas.
The Lotha Hoho has taken “critical offence at the statement made by an Honorable Cabinet Minister that Article 371 (A) “is redundant”. If the said article was “redundant”, then how is the present government invoking Article 371 (A) for its decisions? If it had been made “redundant”, why were the Nagas not properly informed?” The Hoho has further asked the cabinet minister in question to explain to the Naga people what he means by “redundant” and what authority under the Constitution of India makes it so.
