ENPO: Proposal to MHA does not hamper Naga national movement

July 29, 2023 22 Views No Comment

• Denounces fake draft circulating on social media
• Says no proposal to fence international border

DIMAPUR, July 29 (MExN): The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) today ensured all stakeholders that there is no point in its proposed draft submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs that may hamper the Naga National Movement keeping in mind that this is a greater and common cause for all the Nagas, irrespective of tribes or areas; nor there is any point that may infringe upon Article 371A of the Constitution of India.

A press release from the ENPO clarified that the document doing the rounds in social media purported to be the draft submitted by the ENPO to the Ministry of Home Affairs, is fake.

It said that the document is “completely fake and misleading,” and urged all to “desist from such unscrupulous and malicious practices.” The “fake draft” contains certain points such as; to pursue for laying down of arms by the National Workers hailing from Eastern Nagaland region; and to put up border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border touching the areas of Eastern Nagaland.

The ENPO said that nowhere in the original proposed draft submitted by ENPO to the Government of India is there any mention of surrendering of National Workers from Eastern Nagaland along with arms in the event of signing of Memorandum of Settlement (MoS), “keeping in view that the Naga National Movement is a greater movement for a common cause.”

The ENPO informed that in the initial draft, it had inserted one point which reads; “It shall continue its initiative with the Naga National Workers belonging to members from Eastern Nagaland in order to ensure peace and progress in the region.”

However, it was later found that the point lack clarity and created confusion, the ENPO said. As such, it informed that the point had been altered as; “In order to ensure peace and progress, the ENPO landmark resolution of 18th December, 2007, ‘There shall be no bloodshed, killings, intimidation or any form of violence within ENPO jurisdiction’ shall continue to be in force in the entire region of ENPO”.

It further said that nowhere in the original draft is there mention about fencing the international border. “Each and every Naga knows that although we are divided by artificial borders, we have our ethnical brothers and sisters across the border, and especially those living in the border areas even have immediate kin,” the ENPO stated.

It pointed out that in 2016, when there was a move to construct fencing along the Myanmar border, the ENPO held protest rally at Pangsha Helipad and obstructed the move. Further, the Khiamniungan Tribal Council and ENPO officials went to New Delhi in 2017 and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister opposing the move for any fence. As such, the question of a move to fence the international border by ENPO does not arise at all, it added.

The ENPO made clear that the proposed new arrangement is to fulfill people’s aspiration for self-governing administrative set-up under Article 371A of the Constitution of India to enable people of the region to attain their social, political, economic, educational, cultural and linguistic aspirations.

It further mentioned that in the initial proposed draft, there was a point where the ENPO had mentioned that Article 371A (1) (d) shall be suitably amended so as to repeal the earlier provision for Regional Council and incorporate the provisions relating to the new arrangement. “But this point is now removed in toto,” the ENPO informed.

It appealed to all Nagas, the Government of Nagaland and all stakeholders to extend moral support and pave a way “as we anticipate a peaceful signing of this new arrangement with the blessings of all the Nagas.”