Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) has refuted the state deputy chief minister Y Patton’s statement that ENPO should not blame the state government for their decision to abstain from taking part in the election as it did not consult the state government on its demand.
ENPO clarified that after the submission of memorandum to the government of India on November 25, 2010 demanding a separate Statehood, it returned and submitted a copy of the memorandum to the state government.
Thereafter, ENPO said the state government constituted a cabinet sub-committee on ENPO demand and subsequently recommended creation of Autonomous Council, which was rejected by the people of Eastern Nagaland.
Further, ENPO clarified that officially they had four rounds of bilateral talks with the Centre and two rounds of tripartite talks—Centre, state government and ENPO—and was concluded in the year 2018.
Therefore, ENPO said there was no question of not consulting the state government and the state government not aware of the talks “if at all State Government does not undermine about the protocol services of the state bureaucrats who participated in the trilateral meetings.”
ENPO, ENWO, ENSF, SYO solidarity meet: Sumi Youth Organization (SYO) held a solidarity meeting with ENPO, Eastern Nagaland Women Organization (ENWO), and Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) at the CKS Hall, Tuensang on April 13, 2024.
The delegation comprising ten SYO members
was led by its president Hikavi H Kinimi, vice president Hukaito Zhimomi and general secretary Bokalu V Jimo.
Appreciating the unity, resilience, and statesmanship exhibited by the people of Eastern Nagaland, the SYO president said their visit was “purely supportive nature” devoid of any intention to influence electoral decisions.
Zhimomi reiterated SYO’s “unwavering commitment” to standing by the people of Eastern Nagaland during their “trials and tribulations” and called for continued unity in pursuit of the broader Naga cause.
ENPO president, ENWO general secretary and ENSF president also spoke at solidarity meet and highlighted the stance of Eastern Nagaland people’s decision not to participate in the election.
ENPO appreciated and acknowledged SYO’s gesture at such a time of struggle and pain. “Your gesture of visiting us will be written in gold letter, which will go down in the history of Eastern Nagaland for ages to come,” ENPO stated.
ENPO informed them about the clarity of both the Government of India and ENPO that granting of FNT would have no impact upon Naga political issue and no infringement upon article 371(A). ENPO said the arrangement would be within the state of Nagaland, and not beyond. ENPO also said that the FNT was not its demand but the offer made by the Government of India through the Ministry of Home Affairs.
ENPO, ENWO, ENSF visit Tuensang village: ENPO, ENWO and ENSF team visited Tuensang village and held a joint meeting with the village citizens on April 12, 2024.
Village elders from Lomou, Kangshou, Pilashi and Chongpho Khels attended the meeting. The visiting team conveyed the villagers on the Eastern Nagaland public’s decision to refrain from participating in any central and state elections against the failure to settle FNT prior to the announcement of MCC to the Lok Sabha election 2024.
At the meeting, Tuensang village citizens pledged their full cooperation to this stance.
Further, citizen union president and former president of CKS N. Kaimang Chang, a signatory of the ENPO statehood demand memorandum, proposed that individuals from Eastern Nagaland, who did not adhere to the public movement, should face ex-communication.