Indigenous Minority Tribes of Nagaland (IMTN) has appealed to the state chief minister to look into their grievances and take corrective measures especially concerning the issue of indigenous certificate, saying it was found that a discriminatory policy and “deliberate mischief” was created by certain officials under Dimapur district administration denying their Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
IMTN a conglomeration of four minority recognized tribes of Nagaland including Kuki, Kachari, Garo and Mikir/Karbi.
IMTN team led by its convener Khaimin Lun Tungnung (LUN) along with secretary S.K. Khempry and members Deben Mech, Biplab Sangma and William Terang met chief minister and submitted a memorandum on September 26, 2015.
It was pointed out that an attempt was made to classify the indigenous minority tribes who were recognized equally with other fellow tribes in Nagaland by the Constitution Order of 1970 as non-entity and compared them with the non-recognized tribes/community or recent recognized tribe (sub judice).
IMTN stated that this attempt has trembled their rights and “mischief of fear and insecurity” created by the district administration directly violated Fundamental Rights guaranteed by Constitution and Nagaland government notification order of 1977.
They pointed out that status of the indigenous tribes in their own motherland was that of a “second class citizen”, saying even for simple documentation they were made to face various humiliations by many unwanted questions and scrutiny. As per 1977 notification, IMTN pointed out that there were three conditions and fulfilment of any one was enough to avail certificate for the constitution recognized tribes of Nagaland. However, in the case of four minority tribes the administration insisted upon 1963 E-roll, “thereby creating a false, malice and illegal norms for these groups.”
Stating that insistence of 1963 e-roll itself was “self-defeating”, IMTN said in 1963 when the Naga National movements was still at its peak many indigenous recognized people of Nagaland refused to get themselves registered in the electoral roll. They said due to this factor and lack of communications and awareness member of four minority indigenous tribes also missed out like “many of our brothers and sisters in Nagaland from different Tribes.” IMTN requested the government to be more sensitive in its approach towards its indigenous recognized tribes.