In a recent development, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has vehemently refuted the authenticity of a purported draft proposal that has been circulating, stating it will be submitted to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, reports suggest.
The ENPO has condemned the spread of false information and urged individuals to refrain from engaging in such unscrupulous practices, invoking the true spirit of Christianity. The disputed draft allegedly contains points about the surrender of National Workers from Eastern Nagaland, along with their arms, in the event of a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS).
However, the ENPO clarified that no such provisions exist in the original proposed draft, asserting that the Naga national movement is a unified struggle with a common cause, and it does not advocate for the laying down of arms by its members.
The ENPO clarified that the initial version aimed to continue its efforts to foster peace and progress in the region, but due to ambiguity, it was revised to maintain the landmark resolution of 18th December 2007, which prohibits bloodshed, violence, and intimidation within ENPO jurisdiction.
Furthermore, the ENPO clarified that the draft does not include any mention of fencing the Indo-Myanmar border touching the areas of Eastern Nagaland. βEach 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. It is worth pointing out that way back in 2016, when there was a move to construct fencing along the Myanmar border, ENPO came with strong opposition, held protest rally at Pangsha Helipad and obstructed the move.”, it stated.
The organisation emphasised the strong opposition it had previously expressed against border fencing, with a rally and memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister back in 2017.
The primary goal of the proposed new arrangement is to fulfill the people’s aspirations for a self-governing administrative setup under Article 371A of the Indian Constitution, enabling the region’s socio-political, economic, educational, cultural, and linguistic development. Notably, certain points mentioned in the initial draft, such as the amendment of Article 371A (1) (d) to repeal the earlier provision for the Regional Council, have been removed entirely.
The ENPO made it clear that the proposed draft does not undermine the greater Naga movement, which unites all Nagas regardless of their tribal or geographical affiliations. The organization affirmed its commitment to the common cause and the welfare of all Nagas, assuring that the draft aligns with the constitutional framework of India.
