Kohima, Jan 23: The Nagaland government has expressed hope that both the Centre and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) will make sincere efforts to address the demand for the creation of Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT), which would comprise six eastern districts of the state.
ENPO, which has long sought a separate state for these districts, agreed last month to “temporarily” accept the Centre’s proposal offering a certain degree of autonomy for the region.
A tripartite meeting on the FNT issue took place on January 15 in Chumoukedima district, where discussions reportedly progressed well. Senior minister and government spokesperson K.G. Kenye expressed optimism, urging both the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and ENPO to take a reasonable and sincere approach to resolving the issue, acknowledging that all aspirations may not be fulfilled at once.
Kenye stated that it may take some time for both parties to evaluate the issues raised during the meeting. ENPO president A Chingmak Chang emphasized that the organization could not sign any agreement without securing financial, executive, and legislative autonomy for the proposed FNT.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has reviewed some of ENPO’s demands and selected specific points for further discussion, according to Kenye. The state government is also consulting with neighboring territorial councils, such as Bodoland in Assam, to understand their governance systems. However, Kenye clarified that Nagaland’s situation is distinct and that ENPO has firmly opposed the inclusion of the FNT under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which governs Autonomous District Councils in other northeastern states.
ENPO is seeking to retain Article 371A, a special constitutional provision for Nagaland, and revert to a system of governance similar to that in place between 1964 and 1974, when the region was administered by a regional council. While Kenye noted that fully replicating that system may not be feasible, ongoing discussions are exploring similar arrangements.
The state government is eager to hold frequent meetings to expedite the resolution. ENPO, representing the Naga tribes in the districts of Mon, Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak, and Shamator, has been demanding statehood since 2010, citing neglect in various sectors since Nagaland’s formation in 1963. In support of its demand, ENPO boycotted both the 2023 Lok Sabha and Urban Local Body elections.
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