ENPO expresses optimism on Frontier Nagaland Territory negotiations

January 13, 2025 2 Views No Comment

Holds consultative meeting with ENLU

Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 12

The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) today expressed optimism that a positive outcome would emerge from its ongoing negotiations with the Government of India on the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT).

“We are hopeful,” ENPO President A Chingmak Chang told the media after a closed-door consultative meeting with the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) on January 12 at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur, to discuss issues related to the proposed FNT.

He further described it as an informal consultation held periodically between the two groups.

As the ENPO continues its negotiations with the Government of India (GoI) on the FNT issue, similar meetings will be held in the future with the objective of moving forward collaboratively, he indicated.

Chang revealed that Eastern Nagaland legislators were briefed about the December 13, 2024, meeting held in Delhi between the ENPO and a high-level committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

“There was neither an agenda nor a resolution, but the meeting discussed ‘how to go about further’ as we have to go hand in hand,” he clarified.

Following the December meeting, the ENPO announced its decision to “temporarily accept” the GoI’s offer for a Unique Arrangement with Executive, Legislative, and Financial Autonomy for the FNT.

On the current status, Chang stated that negotiations are ongoing, and the ENPO remains hopeful of a positive outcome. “We are still hopeful that the Government of India is serious and committed. Our talks are in an advanced stage, and we are hopeful,” he reiterated.

When queried, Chang responded that he could not comment on the Nagaland State Government’s stance on the matter.