Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) has clarified that its recommendations to Banuo Commission on RIIN on September 17 was based on a unanimous decision of the committee.
According to JCPI secretary Tia Longchar and co-convener Joel Naga, the unanimous decision was arrived at after thorough deliberation on the issues by a sub-committee constituted which undertook meticulous analysis on various aspects. The clarification followed reaction of GB Union of Dimapur urban area.
JCPI mentioned that Nagaland Gaon Bura Federation (NGBF) was a member organisation of JCPI and therefore, if GB Union of urban area – also a member unit of NGBF – had any grievance against the JCPI, the issue could have been approached through proper forum, instead of particularising individual member or members.
JCPI reiterated that its convener or any other members, was not authorised to apologise to any entity for any collective action or decision taken by the committee.
Further, JCPI clarified that in its recommendations to the Banuo Commission, it had specifically mentioned that GBs of urban area should not be empanelled not because it held GB Union of Dimapur urban area in disrespect, but because there were non-Naga GBs in the union, some of doubtful origin.
JCPI said , it was against Naga customary practices in which any Naga individual has his ancestry certified by a non-Naga GB. JCPI said this issue was discussed threadbare in the meeting.
In its recommendation to the Banuo Commission, JCPI said it simply wanted to highlight that GB Union too has a responsibility to purge its non-Naga members since GBship was a unique Naga institution. JCPI advised the union to read between the lines instead of jumping to conclusions.
It also expressed the hope that better sense would prevail and the GB Union, as custodians of Naga customary practices, would take a matured view of the whole situation.
Meanwhile, the JCPI said it was the commission’s discretion whether to accept or reject its recommendations, and for which it was open to discussion with any aggrieved party or stakeholder on the issues.
It may be recalled that the state government had in July this year, constituted the three-member Banuo Commission to chalk out modalities for the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) exercise.
Two retired IAS officers – former chief secretary Banuo Z Jamir and T Kiheto Sema – and C Shingwang Konyak have been included into the committee. Justice (Retd) Zelre Angami has been appointed an advisor to the commission.
The State Home Commissioner and the Law and Justice Secretary will be ex-officio members of the commission.
The commission will study and examine all issues related to the exercise and submit its recommendations to the state government within three months.