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Nagaland body declares public emergency over delay in forming frontier territory
The tribal body has also called for a boycott of elections and campaigns across six eastern districts of the state over the Union government’s delay in its offer to create a Frontier Nagaland Territory
The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has declared a “public emergency” with immediate effect and called for a boycott of elections and campaigns across six eastern districts of the state over the Union government’s delay in its offer to create a Frontier Nagaland Territory, an autonomous council for the region.
The decision was taken after a marathon coordination meeting held on Tuesday in Dimapur between tribal bodies and frontal organisations under the ENPO’s eastern districts of Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator.
The ENPO demanded that the Centre should honour the aspirations of the people as assured by Union home minister Amit Shah to settle their issue before the 2024 Parliamentary elections.
The body has reaffirmed its earlier resolution to refrain from participating in any central and state election. It declared that the people of eastern Nagaland shall not accede to any assurance that the Union Home Ministry may come up with for implementation post-Lok Sabha election process.
During the period of “public emergency”, no election campaign by any political party within eastern Nagaland area will be allowed, it said.
As a follow-up of their protest, people who are familiar with the matter said, a dawn-to-dusk ban will be imposed on March 8, following which the protest will be intensified.
On February 9, the ENPO organised public rallies simultaneously across the six-district headquarters demanding for effectuation of the Centre’s assured Ftontier Nagaland Territory before the forthcoming Parliamentary elections. The rallies culminated with the adoption of a resolution that the people of the region shall be “compelled” to take their own course of action in the event the central government does not honour their sentiments and aspirations.
The ENPO has been demanding a separate “Frontier Nagaland” state as early as 2010 over alleged issues of discrimination particularly in the development front. Although the ENPO’s initial demand was for the creation of a separate state “Frontier Nagaland” carved out from the present-day Nagaland state, the Centre’s representatives from Union Home Ministry led by advisor (northeast) AK Mishra in 2022 negotiated for an alternative arrangement- autonomy for the region.
The body, which represents the Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir, and Yimkhiung communities, accelerated pressure on its demand in 2022 and had resolved to abstain from participating in any election process should the central government fail to address the issue.
The Union Home Ministry stated to have then proposed an autonomous council - “Frontier Naga Territory” for the region with legislative, executive, administration, and financial autonomy with 49 councillors- 40 elected legislative members and nine nominees. Presently, the six districts have 20 MLAs in the 60-member state assembly.
In January 2023, close on the heels of the state assembly elections, the organisation lifted its abstention call on elections after the Union Home Ministry assured it that the issue would be resolved after the poll process. Lauding the ENPO decision, Union home minister Amit Shah termed it an “expression of trust in the Modi government”.
The assurance, as per the ENPO, was that a solution as mutually agreed will be reached after following the due process and will be implemented after completion of the election process.
Taking to X (the then Twitter), Union home minister Shah had hailed the decision. “It is heartening that in an expression of trust in the Modi government, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organisation (ENPO) in Nagaland has withdrawn its call to boycott the assembly elections. The decision will help in keeping the ongoing process of peace and development unhindered.” “I am grateful for their positive gesture reaffirming ENPO’s commitment to democratic processes. PM Narendra Modi Ji has made untiring efforts to assure the people of Northeast India that the government is with them and the ENPOs move is an approval of these endeavours,” he added.
