Revoke Cabinet Decision: NTC

The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has reiterated its stand on the inclusion of the Rongmei tribe as indigenous to the State of Nagaland. The NTC, on May 13, organized a public rally at the Clock Tower here demanding the revocation of the July 23, 2012 Cabinet decision to recognize the tribe as indigenous to the State.

The NTC charted out three resolutions at the rally, the first of which reiterated the NTC’s representations submitted to the Government of Nagaland “against the inclusion of Rongmeis as recognized Tribe in the state of Nagaland” and reaffirming to “pursue the matter spearheaded by NTC till the Notification is revoked in the larger interest of the people of Nagaland.”

The second resolution denounced the July 23, 2012 State Cabinet decision recognizing the Rongmei as one of the tribes of Nagaland “entitling them all benefits of Scheduled tribe” in Nagaland State and termed the decision as an “anti people’s decision.” The third resolution demanded “total revocation of the State Govt Notification NO HOME/SCTA-6/ 2007 (PT-1) dated Kohima August 4, 2012 granting Rongmeis as one of the Naga Tribes,” with immediate effect. It cautioned that failure to do so would compel the NTC to resort to “befitting action.”

Speakers who addressed the rally likened the NTC demand to a pre-emptive move against the gradual usurping of constitutional rights and benefits enjoyed by the indigenous inhabitants of the State by people hailing from beyond the politically-demarcated boundary of Nagaland State. Terming the Rongmei as Nagas but not originally of Nagaland State, the speakers, however, maintained that the NTC is not against the Rongmei in general.

Hekhevi Achumi of the Naga Council Dimapur, one of the speakers, charged the Nagaland Government of having ulterior motive when it sanctioned the recognition of the Rongmei as an indigenous tribe of Nagaland. He acknowledged the fact that the Rongmei is Naga but stated “they do not belong to the State of Nagaland.” He supported his statement by adding that the Rongmei has no ancestral land in any of the 11 districts of the State.

Longbe Zeliang of the ZPO (N) suggested vote-bank politics as the motivation behind the recognition. Former NLA legislator, Z. Lohe took the instance of the recognition of the Pochury as a tribe of Nagaland State in 1991. According to Lohe, at the time nobody opposed the granting of recognition to the Pochury because of the fact that the tribe has ancestral land in Phek district.

T. Solo asked the gathering to remember history—that the creation of the Nagaland State was and is a “special one” and that the rights that come with the State belong to the landowners within it.

Others who spoke at the rally included Theja Therieh, Rev. C. Walling (prayer), president of NTC Lendinoktang Ao, Mhondamo Ovung who represented Wokha, Lanu Imchen representing the president of the Ao Senden, Ketsore Mekro for Thenimyia Public Organization, general secretary of NTC Nribemo Ngullie, YAN president Hetoi Chishi and vice president of NTC Toniho Yephthomi.