ENPO President A Chingmak Chang speaks to the media during civic reception in Dimapur on February 7. (Morung Photo)
• Delhi offer for 10-year interim arrangement accepted
• Eastern Nagaland still part of Nagaland
Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 7
The Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation’s (ENPO) demand for a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ state remains intact, despite the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA).
The ENPO talk team was given a civic reception in Dimapur on February 7 on their return from New Delhi following the signing of a tripartite agreement for implementing the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA). The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), signed on February 5, involved the Government of India, Nagaland state government and ENPO. A 43-member ENPO delegation attended the official signing summit.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the reception, ENPO President A Chingmak Chang termed the FNTA as an interim arrangement for a period of ten years— an offer from the Union government.
He clarified that while the organisation has accepted the offer from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), it does not signal the end of their movement for full statehood.
“That remains our demand. Today, FNTA was offered by MHA, and we have accepted it. But our demand will still continue,” Chang stated.
Regarding the constitutional basis of the new arrangement, Chang said that the FNTA will be constituted under Article 371A of the Constitution of India. He distinguished this from other administrative provisions, noting it does not fall under the Fifth or Sixth Schedules, or Article 244(A). He described the agreement as a “unique arrangement” and a “political decision” initiated by the Union Home Ministry involving the state government.
40 elected members and 9 nominees
The term autonomous council was not used but per reports it would be like one, or a scaled down version of state governments with bureaucrats and ministerial staff. It will be composed of 40 elected members and 9 nominees.
The ENPO President said that the FNTA will have a “mini secretariat” to be headed by a bureaucrat at the rank of a Principal Secretary or Additional Chief Secretary.
To ensure implementation, a joint monitoring committee comprising representatives from the Government of India, Nagaland state government, and ENPO will be established. The MHA will provide direct assistance for financial programmes and development.
Before it gets fully established, the FNTA will have an interim body with members selected by the Governor in consultation with the ENPO. However, Chang maintained that a timeline for its formation has not yet been set, as the ENPO executives must first consult with affiliate tribal leaders.
Earlier, at the civic reception programme hosted at the Konyak Community Centre in Purana Bazaar, the ENPO President called for its 8 affiliate tribes to stand “back-to-back” to ensure the new arrangement works. “Today, we have a baby in our hands, raising this child (FNTA) is our job… We have received it... only that tomorrow we have a big task to carry forward,” he said.
He added that the ultimate goal of statehood remains, stating, “FNTA is the first step towards achieving our goal, which is, statehood.”
He traced the origin of the ENPO demand for statehood to a meeting in May 2007, which went on to be formalised with the submission of a representation to the Centre on December 6, 2010.
He credited the success of the signing of the FNTA to each and every member of the ENPO. He also thanked Naga civil societies and leaders from other tribes for their support and appealed for their continued cooperation in uplifting the ‘Eastern Nagaland’ people.
He acknowledged the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Nagaland Chief Minister, and Chief Negotiator AK Mishra for facilitating the agreement.
Chang also paid tribute to the founding members and former leaders of the movement who are no more. He added that the organisation plans to host a thanksgiving declaration programme where further details regarding the agreement are expected to be released.
The ENPO President reiterated that despite the new arrangement, Eastern Nagaland remains part of the state.
