Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has categorically asserted that until it officially receives the final draft of the proposed Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) from the Centre through proper channel, no decision will be made to either accept or reject it.
ENPO president Tsapikiu Sangtam said this in response to an earlier statement from Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) secretary Lima Onen Chang who said ENPO and other frontal organisations had unanimously agreed not to accept the draft in principle at a meeting held at Tourist Lodge here on Wednesday.
Addressing the media at ENPO treasurer’s residence at Sovima, Tsapikiu Sangtam also clarified that ENPO has not made any decision over the draft proposal since it was not the right platform for taking any final decision. He termed the February 14 meeting convened by the Eastern Nagaland Gazetted Officers’ Association (ENGOA) as “just a coordination meeting”.
He also pointed out that the question of adopting or rejecting any draft did not arise as Wednesday’s meeting did not have the mandate of all the frontal organisations of Eastern Nagaland to adopt any resolution.
Supplementing Sangtam, ENPO vice-president Z. Throngshe informed that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had provided a copy of the draft to the state chief minister, and this was brought to the February 14 meeting by representatives of the ENLU. He however pointed that the ENPO had refused to table the draft in the meeting as it was not formally sent to the negotiating party. He maintained that any draft sent by MHA through any party other than ENPO would not be accepted or discussed.
Clarifying on reports that the meeting had unanimously agreed not to accept the draft, Throngshe said it was “not appropriate” to state that a unanimous agreement was made, since the meeting was not attended by many frontal leaders including members of the talk team. “ENPO, as the negotiating party, should receive the draft through proper channel as we are spearheading the issue,” said Tsapikiu Sangtam. He added that any comment on the draft would be made only after the organisation received an official copy.
He reiterated that the draft should be directly handed over to the negotiating party (ENPO) and not through “any third party”.
He recalled that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on December 7, 2023 assured of providing a final draft on FNT and settle the matter before the Lok Sabha election schedule was announced and before the model code of conduct came into effect. However, he regretted that ENPO was yet to receive any draft in this regard.
On the statehood demand, Sangtam said the Centre after taking note of various issues concerning Nagaland, had told ENPO that it was not possible for a separate state or a Union Territory at this juncture. However, he claimed that New Delhi had agreed to make a “unique arrangement” under Article 371 (A) through a “model territory”. Accordingly, a unique arrangement for a period of 10 years was agreed upon, after which both sides would review the memorandum of settlement, he added.
ENPO general secretary Manlang Phom mentioned that after due consultation with the general public and all frontal organisations, it was agreed to opt for the “third option” (FNT) proposed by the Centre.
He also made it clear that only after the ENPO receives the final draft, they would decide whether or not to accept MHA’s proposal.
He lamented that despite several assurances made by the Union Home minister, ENPO was yet to see the final draft. He said it was for this reason, that the people carried out rallies in Eastern Nagaland to press the MHA to provide the draft before the Lok Sabha election model code of conduct was enforced. Asked on their next course of action in case of further delay, he remarked that they had a “strategy” in place that could not be disclosed now.