Nagaland Election 2023: A cloud of uncertainty looms over ENPO areas

P Achumse Yingbithongrü
Kiphire | January 31

The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation’s (ENPO) August 26, 2022 resolution and subsequent reaffirmation on October 14 to abstain from participating in any election process until the demand of the ‘Frontier Nagaland’ is met by the Government of India (GoI) seems to have run into rough weather with the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) deciding to participate in the upcoming 2023 general election.

When the decision was taken by ENPO, many assumed that the resolution would flounder like any other past resolutions adopted pertaining to various issues confronting the ENPO. 

However, such a stalemate between the influential bodies – ENPO and the ENLU, was never expected. This fissure has dampened the working relationship to some extent and may take sometime to repair. 

While majority of the ENPO citizens at the grassroots is adhering to the call to abstain from elections, confusing signals from various corners are adding to the myriad of unauthentic information confronting the masses.

Behind ENLU’s decision
Highlighting the background behind ENLU decision to participate, a member who was privy to the discussion and several important meetings claimed that “on January 7, 2023, the ENLU assured the house that since the ENPO issue is a peoples’ movement all the 20 legislators are with the people as the issue was dear to all.”

However, at the same meeting, the ENLU made it “clear to ENPO that if the talk gets prolonged and election is notified by ECI, the union will have no valid reason to abstain from participating,” the member informed. 

The member further claimed that none of the attendees present at the said meeting “reacted/responded to the statement of ENLU.”

Accordingly, the decision was taken during the ENLU emergency meeting on January 22 to participate in the upcoming general election “as the talk can always continue even after election,” the member added. 

Regarding the ENPO’s August 26 resolution, the ENLU member maintained that the union was not “kept in the loop about the resolution” though it was also part of the ENPO executive body for which the emergency meeting was held.

On various initiatives taken by the ENLU to facilitate talk between ENPO and GoI, the member said that “ENLU officials through Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Assam CM, made an appointment for the ENPO to meet the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the first week of October 2022 in Guwahati but it was futile for reason best known to ENPO.”

Sharing about the progress made so far on the demand for ‘Frontier Nagaland,’ the ENLU member said that the ENPO had presented ‘verbal blueprint’ to the house, where it was apprised to the house that a ‘Frontier Nagaland’ is being ruled out and even a Union Territory being dropped by the MHA.

The talk and response from MHA were in the line of ‘Regional Council’ and ‘Autonomous Council’ whereby separate Legislative Assembly, Financial powers and Mini-Secretariat would be offered to the ENPO, as per the blueprint, the member said. 
    
ENPO’s response
Meanwhile, reacting to the ENLU resolution to participate in forthcoming elections, a top official of the ENPO said it was “unfortunate”and noted that they (ENPO) have nothing to say but hope that ENLU will use its wisdom wisely.

Pressed on what impact the ENLU resolution will have on the demand for ‘Frontier Nagaland,’ the ENPO official admitted it has created a hurdle.

However, the official made it clear that the ENPO will continue with the talk and demand for statehood.

Queried on the ENPO’s stance, Liji Lyanaba, Advisor to Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC) said: “Even if the ECI announced the election at the end of the day it is the will of the people, as of now majority of the people is with ENPO so if people of all sections could remain united in its demand, then abstaining may speak volumes.”

“Politics is the weapon of the present generation for moving forward in larger sense, yet it is also a centre of all corruption but if the able and the strong defies the general order of the ENPO, there will be social unrest and may lead to breakdown of law and order,” he cautioned. 

Other voices 
Also sharing his observation, Jen Wotsa, PRO, International Human Right Council, Nagaland Chapter said that “it would be a big loss for Eastern Nagaland.”

“No matter how genuine the cause may be, the focus of ECI will only be on election and will make all arrangements accordingly to fulfil the constitutional mandate and disturbing such a process could lead to law and order problem,” he expounded.  

He also felt that the ENPO demand for statehood was not justified by stating that, “I believe there is a solution to every problem.”

A top Delhi-based official said the centre’s obvious priority is election in Nagaland.

“The ENPO movement is a political one, so rather than having any short-term goal, it should continue its activities for well-being of the eastern brethren by banking on its ground support of community Hohos,” he added.

The official was also pessimistic about the GoI accepting the demand for statehood.

Sebastian Zumvu, Chairman, Sovima Village Council also asserted that “holding general election is a constitutional mandate without which democracy will collapse” and termed the ENPO’s resolution as “unreasonable.”

Creation of such a state is non-viable and impractical as it would destroy the sweat, blood and tears of Naga pioneers who had the foresight to get statehood for the people of Nagaland, he maintained, further posing: If Nagas are a family, why attempt to break up the family?

He said the ENPO should remember the 1998 incident when all political parties boycotted the state assembly election enabling the INC to win in 53 constituencies unopposed.