DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 1 (MExN): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) today said that the proposal for Apex Body formation of Naga Tribes of Nagaland “is still secret with the organizers,” and added that “if at all it is required all the sixty elected members of NLA must have the consensus first.”
A press release from the NTC said that during the “series of meetings for formation of Apex Body of Naga Tribes of Nagaland” held recently, “not even once was the NTC invited or officially communicated on the matter.” “The opinion of NTC is not sought at all and that the proposal is with the sole intention to jeopardise the NTC functioning. Therefore, implication on NTC in any manner is not correct, hence unacceptable,” it added.
The NTC meanwhile explained the circumstances leading to its formation, citing the State Government’s contemplation to recognize Mao Naga tribe as Indigenous Tribe in the state of Nagaland without territorial integration; the CNTC initiated consultative meeting to deliberate on the issue; the recognition of the Rongmei tribe as an indigenous tribe in the state of Nagaland; the government’s proposal to earmark the plain foothill sector in the state as the Nagaland Special Development Zones (NSDZ); the proposals of setting up Gaidinliu Memorial Hall at Kohima by State the government; installing of an oversize metal statue of Gaidinlu at Dimapur Airport and naming after her; and the proposal of placing the portrait of Gaidinlu inside the Nagaland Legislative Assembly Hall.
Regarding the NSDZ in particular, the NTC said that “virtually the areas under NSDZ will remain outside the purview of the Article 371A of the Constitution of India, whereby the vast plain foothill sectors will be leased out to strangers for permanent settlement.”
“The people of Nagaland were never consulted by the state government on all these issues but secretly tried to accomplish for benefit of, and the best reasons known to the people in authority alone. All these reasons strengthened the formation of NTC. The aforementioned reasons would simply justify whether NTC is against the government or the people at the government creates artificial problems against the wishes of the people on a sell-out basis of our inherent rights. Since its launch, the NTC has not deserted any issue affecting the welfare of its people in Nagaland,” it said.
The NTC meanwhile said that the recognized Naga Tribes in Nagaland issued by the Government of Nagaland vide Home Branch No.SC-22/Home/1/67/dated 6th July 2009 include Angami, Ao, Sumi, Lotha, Rengma, Konyak, Sangtam, Phom, Chang, Yimchunger (now Yimkhiung), Khiamniungan, Chakhesang, Zeliang, Pochury, and now Tikhir.
“However, to the utter surprise of the indigenous people of Nagaland the legitimate and recognized tribe of Nagaland Zeliang is out but a new born imaginary tribe of ZeliangrongBaudi (ZB) has come up in the list attached to working paper/proposal,” it stated.
“Although the wishful thinking of the NTC is to unify all the 14 tribes (now 15 tribes) of Nagaland and as well inserted in its Constitution, the official communication was received from ENPO on behalves of the six tribes (now seven) of Eastern Nagaland dated August 6, 2013 where the ENPO expressed technical and circumstantial reasons that has restrained them from joining the General Council of NTC,” it added. However the NTC said that the ENPO “conveyed their desire to co-operate and work together in common issues and interest of the Nagas and the State in general.” “Amongst the rest left over 8 tribes of Nagaland, it is an undeniable fact that NTC has the endorsement of 7 tribes as of now,” it said.
