Longrangty Longchar
Tuensang | January 7
“We Demand Frontier Nagaland – ENPO” this was the clear message written on a banner at the entrance of the Parade Ground, Tuensang where the mass public rally organized by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) was held here today. The speakers at the rally also conveyed the one message – we want a frontier Nagaland.
While the Parade Ground Tuensang was a sea of humanity mostly old men wearing red traditional shawls and red Gaon Bora’s waistcoats, the ENPO officials today made it clear in front of the nearly ten thousand participants that they are serious about the demand for a separate state.
Shops remained closed in Tuensang. While there was no sign of any threat perception, security forces took no chances; riot police and IRB personnel were at the venue providing security during the more than hour rally.
Today’s mass public rally at Tuensang gains significance because this is the first public rally to be organized in the state after the ENPO submitted a memorandum to the Indian Prime Minister on December 14, 2010.
ENPO officials disclosed that rallies were also being organized at other eastern districts – Mon, Longleng, Kiphire – and also the sub divisional headquarters of Noklak and Shamator under Tuensang district.
While all the speakers at the rally stressed on one message – the Frontier Nagaland should be created – they also reiterated that the demand for a separate state is not against any tribe, faction or state government. The speakers also strongly maintained that the demand of a Frontier Nagaland is to address the problems afflicting the eastern Naga people especially with regard to development, employment and social, economic and political.
ENPO president, Mangko declared that the ‘statehood demand is a people’s demand.” He assured that the participants that the ENPO will carry forward the work till the end as mandated by the eastern Naga people.
ENPO “Convener, Steering Committee” Pohwang, while delivering the keynote address, said that the demand for ‘Frontier Nagaland’ is just a means to solve the ‘kitchen problem’ of the eastern Naga tribes.
“We are not against any Naga tribe, faction or Nagaland government,” declared Pohwang. Saying that the ENPO helped the other Naga tribes when they needed the ENPO like during the statehood creation of Nagaland, Pohwang appealed the other Naga tribes to help the ENPO in its endeavour to solve its ‘kitchen problem’.
“Naga kitchen problem toh ponai she do, etiya ENPO laka kitchen problem ponaboli laki (Naga Kitchen problem was mended, now ENPO’s kitchen problem should be mended),” said the ENPO ‘Steering Committee’, Convener. He declared that the ENPO will not back off from its demand of a separate state.
The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) president, Hawang T. Wangsha maintained that the ‘real Sun is now rising from the east’ and that the Sun should not be blocked by anything. Saying that the “back gear” is now damaged Wangsha said that the eastern Nagas will go only forward. He also cautioned those who might try to impede the eastern Naga’s aspiration by saying that even if some at the front falls, there are thousands at the back who will carry forward the dreams of the eastern Naga people.
ENPO ‘steering committee’ member, Pongom Khiam questioned why not a single sitting MLA from eastern Nagaland was present at the rally. He pointed out that in other parts of the country like in the Telengana issue; the MLAs there are resigning in support of the people’s demand. Pongom Khaim also declared that if India the greatest democracy of the world ignores the plea of the eastern Naga people, then they can always turn to China (which he termed as the most vibrant country) and work for the development of the eastern Nagas.
Others who spoke at the function included the ENWO president, TD GB’s Federation president, USLB vice president Tsikingse, and TVCU president NY CHuba. The ENPO general secretary Toshi Wungtung read out the memorandum submitted to the prime minister of India last year. A copy of the memorandum was submitted to the Tuensang DC to be handed over to the state government. The rally concluded with the participants shouting slogans ‘we demand separate state’ and ‘we want Frontier Nagaland’.
‘Nagas must not choose to divide themselves’
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 7
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today said the demand for a separate statehood made by the ENPO had come at a very inopportune time. Dr. Chumben Murry, Nagaland’s Agriculture Minister and president of the state NCP said, “At stake is not only the present but the future too” adding this development must not hinder the solution to what he called, the “vexed Indo-Naga political issue”.
“At a time when the Central [Indian] Govt. has shown sincerity in solving the vexed Indo-Naga political issue and the various factions are trying hard to unify themselves and wherein Nagas in general see a glimmer of hope for a final solution to the long strife we have endured, the demand of a separate statehood laid by the ENPO comes at a very inopportune time,” he said.
Dr Chumben said the Naga people have been “divided irrevocable by manmade boundaries because of the circumstances of time” and pleaded that “during this globalized market driven times, when we actually need to assimilate ourselves to our own advantage,” Nagas must not choose to divide themselves.
While expressing empathy with those who chose or “want to decide on a separate existence,” the NCP leader expressed regrets over the latest statehood demand.
Chumben said Congress leader K Therie tried to make the DAN government a scapegoat. While acknowledging some good rational pointers made by Therie, Chumben described the former finance minister’s comment as “impulsive and immature when nearly a dozen different Governments have run the affairs of the State since its inception.” He also described BJP Nagaland general secretary (adm) Yanpos Murry’s assessment as insensitive.
Dr. Chumben said Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has given priority to ENPO districts, particularly in job reservation. On development, Chumben said the whole of Nagaland is abysmally backward in both infrastructure and manpower developments compared to other states. While many of the developmental activities that took place over the decades were haphazard and not based on ground realities and needs, he said it is also worth pondering upon the notion that, it is not only the attitude of the Government in place but the mindset and receptiveness of the people that plays important role in development.
“For instance, in the neighbouring Asian countries that have developed in the last few decades, the most prominent attributing factors we see are commitment and commendable work culture,” he argued. He said despite a slow pace of developments, Nagas have achieved a lot on human development front. Historically, every Naga village had differences in terms of rationalism even from village to village and from tribe to tribe. “Modernity also visited us at different paces of time. Modernization, civilization and refinements are ongoing processes and people who lack behind need to make more effort rather than depend of readymade solutions,” he said.
He recalled Tuensang and Mon during his high school days in the mid seventies to early eighties, and how these places have overtaken his hometown Wokha in infrastructure developments. “Even agricultural practices there have undergone commendable changes. My own class of 1978 produced two legislators, three gazetted officers and a host of other Govt. servants from the undivided Tuensang District,” he reminisced.
“Therefore, I feel the concept of a separate statehood has been brewing for sometime as a result of other multifactorial causes. A rethinking is what is required,” he pleaded. Dwelling on the planning processes that he considered underwent sea changes in the last few decades he said, “It has become more centripetal as compared to the centrifugal planning of the past. The resultant effect is that, it is more capable of addressing peripheral needs as it is a bottom-up participatory approach”.
The developmental issue of underdeveloped areas of all districts, and not only of ENPO districts can be addressed, he added. Calling for a change in approach with better understanding of the variable needs of different districts for better planning, the Minister urged ENPO to pursue that goal in unity.
