DIMAPUR, JUNE 3 (MExN): The Tikhir Tribe Council (TTC) has appealed to the Nagaland government, Naga Hoho and ENPO on recognition of the Tikhir tribe. A press appeal issued by S. Pongsuthong Tikhir, Vice President and Mark Muraikiu, Assistant General Secretary of the TTC has described “the heartbreaking journey of Tikhir Tribe in pursuance of respect and honor from the government to recognize Tikhir as a Tribe of Nagaland” and pointed out that this has yet to see the light of day.
The note said that the Tikhir Tribe with its ancestral land, vibrant culture, sizeable population and its own unique history has been knocking at the doors of the government in vain for the past 40 years for “dispensation of justice”. The TTC described it as “heartening to note” that the government has “out of blue recognized the Rongmei as a Tribe of Nagaland and intends to consider the same for the Moa Tribe too”.
Pointing out that the issue of the Mao Tribe recognition has come into public domain and that the Naga Hoho, the Tribal Hoho’s and the NGO’S have made their respective stands on the issue, the TTC maintained that while debating on the larger issue of Tribe recognition in Nagaland, the issue of Tikhir recognition should also be discussed openly by the Naga Hoho, ENPO, Tribal bodies etc, as it is already in the public domain.
“Taking into account the merit and legitimacy of the struggling Tikhir Tribe, the Tikhir’s rightly deserve the same level of seriousness from the government in decision making and also the Naga Hoho, ENPO, Tribal Hoho’s and the NGO’S stand on the issue in apprising the government for taking timely decision”.
The TTC stated that the Tikhir Tribe “with all its historical foundation which no one can deny remains steadfast in preserving the ancestral identity given by God and with excruciating pain and passions awaits justice for recognition from government”.
It added, “This humble appeal made is to serve as a reminder to government not to forget the long aspirations of a small yet deserving Tribe seeking deliverance and serves to prick the conscience of government, the Naga Hoho, ENPO and NGO’s of Nagaland to have a heart for the weaker and the downtrodden Tikhir Tribe”.
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