Central Nagaland Tribes Council asks hohos, civil society organisations to pressurize government for oil exploration, peace process

Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) has appealed to all apex hohos and civil society organisations (CSOs) to put more pressure on the State government for resumption of oil exploration and extraction as early as possible.
CNTC said some oil-bearing land fell under Niuland and Changpang areas in Wokha district and some foothill areas under Mokokchung, Longleng and Mon districts. But due to the negligence on exploration by the State government, it claimed that Nagaland was incurring heavy losses to the tune of several crores of rupees.
CNTC president T Lanu Imchen reiterated that Lothas in particular were facing losses due to non-exploration of oil from their land. The council also appealed to all CSOs and NGOs to pressurise the Central government and negotiating parties to sign the final Naga solution at the earliest as various NPGs were levying exorbitant taxes on their own people by taking advantage of the prolonged peace process.
CNTC and Central Nagaland Women Association (CNWA) took up these issues at separate meetings with various Sumi organisations of Zunheboto district and Ao organisations of remote areas in Mokokchung, including Ao Senden.
Status on the Foothill Road construction was also shared at the meeting along with the recent amount sanctioned by the State government.
The council acknowledged the responsibilities shouldered by the public of bordering villages for defending rights for welfare of entire Nagas and called for peaceful co-existence with neighbours.
CNTC leaders explained the vision and purpose of the formation of the council, clarifying that it was not a political party or organisation but a pressure group to voice the grievances and needs of the entire Nagas in general, particularly to establish unity of the three tribes, for their social, economic and political betterment.
At the meeting, CNTC vice-president Hukiye Yepthomi alleged that people were losing crores of rupees everyday due to non-exploration and extraction of oil. He said CNTC had participated in the consultation meets called by the State government on Naga political issue, RIIN, ULB, NLTP Act, etc.
CNTC vice-president Khondao Ngullie highlighted the various activities and issues undertaken by the council since its inception during the last 10 years like derecognition of outsiders as indigenous tribes of Nagaland and emphasis on the formation of Central Nagaland Students’ Association (CNSA), Central Nagaland Legislature Forum (CNLF) and CNWA.
CNWA president K Atoli Sema briefed the participants on the recent formation of the association and sought support from all sections of society.