ENPO leaders optimistic about separate state demand

AGENCIES: KOHIMA, DECEMBER 17, 2024 : The leaders of Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO), which has been demanding a separate 'Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT)' comprising six districts for seven backward tribes, on Tuesday said that the tripartite talks with the Centre and the state government are in an advanced stage.

ENPO General Secretary M. Honang Konyak said that they are optimistic that the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would not fail in fulfilling the proposed offer of FNT by the Centre in the interest of the people of eastern Nagaland. He said that in the tripartite meeting held in New Delhi on December 13, the ENPO delegation made its unwavering stand very clear that the demand of the people of eastern Nagaland is for a separate "Frontier Nagaland" state.

"The ENPO, having considered the difficulties of the Centre at the present juncture, had decided to temporarily accept the offer of the government for FNT, a unique arrangement with executive, legislative, and financial autonomy," Konyak said.

He said that the December 13 meeting witnessed significant progress and had decided to have the next round of tripartite meetings by the second week of January 2025 to deliberate on the unresolved issues. Since 2010, the ENPO has been demanding a separate 'Frontier Nagaland Territory' or separate state comprising six eastern Nagaland districts -- Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang, inhabited by seven backward tribes -- Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, and Yimkhiung. 

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, referring to the ENPO demand, recently said that a draft Memorandum of Settlement was submitted, on November 6, to the Ministry of Home Affairs emphasizing a shared economic progress for all citizens and marking the beginning of a new era of partnership and collective growth. In October, the Nagaland cabinet accepted the proposal for granting and constituting a Frontier Nagaland Territory Authority (FNTA) comprising six eastern districts of the state as demanded by the ENPO. 

With the formation of the proposed FNTA, special powers would be granted to the six Eastern Nagaland districts. The Ministry of Home Affairs had, before the Lok Sabha polls, sought the state government's comments and proposal on the ENPO demand. 

People of the six Eastern Nagaland districts abstained from the June 26 civic body elections and Lok Sabha elections on April 19 after the ENPO gave the vote boycott call in support of their demands. 

The ENPO and its allies had given a call to boycott the Assembly elections held in February last year but withdrew it later following an assurance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Nagaland has 60 Assembly seats and 20 of them are in these six districts.