Dimapur, May 7 (MExN): The Ao Senso Telongjem (ASTD) on May 7 addressed the exclusion of tribal Hohos from the meeting called by the Deputy Commissioner Dimapur, Anoop Kinchi on May 6.
The ASTD expressed surprise at the exclusion and said that it raises a big question in respect to affording equal representation during the pandemic, which should have been overcome by the contribution of all the stake holders of the State.
The meeting reportedly discussed issues relating to people from Nagaland intending to come back from outside the state.
Held at the conference hall of DC’s Office in Dimapur, the meeting was also attended by finance commissioner Sentiyanger Imchen.
The ASTD stated that, almost all major tribes of Naga communities have its constituent tribal bodies based in Dimapur including Eastern Naga people’s organization, Naga Tribal council, Central Nagaland Tribal Council, besides Dimapur Naga council and Dimapur Apex Tribal Hohos respectively.
The ASTD is also an integral part of the Naga Communities based in Dimapu, it stated. However, non-invitation/ inclusion of ASTD along with other tribal bodies, Civil Societies and NGOs to the said crucial meeting have raised huge dilemma in the minds of indigenous people in the state, it asserted.
It further stated that the action of authorities through “fatal omission and selective invitation” to only few organizations have created volumes of misunderstanding and mistrust amongst the Naga Tribal brethren.
“Without the involvement and sincere contribution of indigenous people, tribal bodies that include all the stake holders, Civil Societies and NGOs of the state, the Government machineries and its advisories or agencies shall never be able to handle the problems and its advisories in its entirety,” the ASTD wrote in its press release.
