A peace rally under the banner of the Joint Committee for Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) was held in several districts of Nagaland Friday, to press upon the state government to implement Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) through an ordinance, with December 1, 1963 as cut-off date and year.
In Dimapur, the rally was held at DC court junction, where thousands of people from various organisations, held placards, some of which read “Implement RIIN before March 31, 2021”, “Stop rampant issue of PRC”, “Protect indigenous people of Nagaland”, “Don’t sell my birth right” and “Follow deadline or face consequences” etc, gathered and staged demonstration.
Later, the gathering marched towards DC office and submitted a memorandum to the chief minister through DC Dimapur, signed by 49 organizations.
Earlier, addressing the crowd JCPI convenor, Atomi Swu, said the rally was to demand implementation of rights and privileges of Nagas of the state. He maintained that “Nagas are deprived of our rights” as RIIN should have been implemented long time ago.
Atomi declared that demand for implementation of RIIN and ILP has become a movement reflecting the desire of the people whose rights should have been legislated and utilized as legal law.
He said that Nagaland cannot be a state of lawlessness or a land of dumping garbage as people should have the right to discuss what was good and have authority to reject or object what was bad.
Kachari Tribal Council president Ramesh Sasnu, in his address, said Kacharis joined the rally as Indigenous tribes of Nagaland. He also said some states in North East witnessed many illegal immigrants who began occupying major areas after reducing indigenous people to minorities in their own lands.
Sasnu warned that if RIIN or ILP was not implemented, the same would happen in Nagaland, adding that Nagas would have nowhere to go. He also reiterated that it was important to join hands and work together and ensure that the government implement RIIN without depriving the indigenous people like Kacharis and Kukis and to check influx of illegal immigrants from outside.
Naga Tribal Union Chümuokedima Town president, Lhousito Khro, stated that the rally was organised to question why the state government failed to enact RIIN during the recently concluded winter assembly session.
While maintaining that Nagaland was a land of unique culture and history, Lhousito urged the government to implement RIIN and ILP at the earliest. He warned that if RIIN or ILP was not implement at the earliest, Nagas would become slaves in their own land. He further reiterated that non-Nagas were always welcomed to the state, but with proper documentation (ILP).
Speaking on the sidelines , JCPI convenor said if government failed to implement RIIN before March 31, then JCPI would go ahead with a phase-wise agitation. He said JCPI had opted for peaceful approach for the rally , keeping in mind of the problems faced by the community due to the pandemic. He said the 14 tribes of Nagaland have decided to jointly write their own representation in support of JCPI. Swu also admitted that there was some communication problems for which rallies could not be held in some parts of the state. He blamed it on “some negatives roles played by certain bodies.”
He was however optimistic that rights of Nagas would be ensured and that law and order in Nagaland will be better if ILP/RIIN was implemented.
KOHIMA: Leaders and representing various tribe hohos in Kohima gathered at Secretariat roundabout here Friday demanding implementation of RIIN.
Addressing the crowd JCPI member, Theja Therieh, said the move was not to go against the government in any manner but to mandate the initiatives taken by the State cabinet which had earlier rectified and approved the report submitted by Banuo commission for RIIN. He pointed out that there was no record of indigenous certificates issued by respective deputy commissioners post statehood.
This, he added, had become a stumbling block in identifying indigenous people since there was no clear direction on how to go about while issuing such certificates by the concerned authorities.
Citing the example of Tripura where the indigenous population has been reduced to a minority, Therieh said such tragedy might also happen in Nagaland if RIIN was not implemented at the earliest.
He questioned why the government had still kept RIIN in cold storage when all the tribe hohos have given its mandate during an earlier public meeting.
Therieh maintained that the government’s failure to implement RIIN could be because of “external influences from individuals with vested interests.”
He urged the government not cower to such influences and implement RIIN since the whole of Nagaland had pledged their support towards it. He cautioned that failing to implement RIIN would be disastrous as the Nagas would be reduced to beggars if people from outside begin to accumulate land and properties belonging to the indigenous people.
He reiterated that government should honour its word and fully implement RIIN as it had already approved the report presented by Banuo commission. Therieh expressed optimism that considering the genuine demand of the people State government would take necessary steps at the earliest.
Also speaking at the rally, Sumi Hoho Kohima vice president Vixepu Swu said now was the time to fight for one’s rights. Calling upon the people to act collectively in this movement, Swu said no one should stay at home and expect someone else to fight for their rights. Swu said that since the government was mandated by the people to run the state, it should also listen to their genuine and reasonable demands.
He further called on the people to respond if there was a clarion call for their support.
Kohima District GB Association president, Vineipra Pienyü, in a short speech, said that RIIN could be likened to the process of winnowing paddy where good grains are separated from the chaffs.
Echoing the earlier speakers, Pienyü said the movement was not to rebel against the government but simply to urge it to keep its word and implement RIIN.
In his short speech, former MP, Z Lohe, said a State could fully identify itself as sovereign only when it has complete record of its indigenous people.
He remarked that Nagaland without RIIN had become a state where anyone could come and reside as and when they please.
He attributed the special provisions enshrined under Article 371a as God’s blessings and urged the government to implement RIIN to protect “our” land, resources, culture, tradition and religion.
Lohe also cautioned people not to throw aspersions or false prophecies against RIIN as such actions would only further divide the people and create more confusion on the issue.
He exuded confidence that like a “broom” RIIN would cleanse Naga society and rejuvenate it.
Later, after a mass prayer, the tribe hoho leaders accompanied by JCPI representatives marched to Nagaland Secretariat to meet with chief minister and also handover the approved and signed representation.
WOKHA: The peaceful rally under the banner of JCPI and organised by the Lotha Hoho was staged at police point Wokha town where the gathering addressed the issues related to RIIN and ILP.
Leaders and representatives from various frontal organization attended the rally and later marched to DC office Wokha and handed over a memorandum addressed to chief minister.
Addressing the gathering, LH chairman Er. Mhondamo Ovung informed that though RIIN has been done two years back, the government has remained silent over the years. Therefore, he said maintained that RIIN needed to be carried out sooner by the government and bring Dimapur under ambit of ILP.
At the rally, the LH general secretary S. Abenthung Ngullie read out memorandum.
The short programme was chaired by LH vice president S Mhonlumo Lotha while vote of thanks was proposed by LH joint secretary Amos Odyuo.
The organisations that took part in the rally included Lotha Eloe Hoho (LEH), Lotha Youth Hoho (LYH), Lotha Students’ Union (LSU), Wokha Town GBs Association (WTGBA), Wokha District Village Chairman Association (WDVCA), Wokha Town Council Union (WTCU), Team Metamorphosis, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WDCCI) and All Commercial Vehicle Association (ACVA).
NIPF urges govt to honour people’s voice: Nagaland Indigenous People’s Forum (NIPF) has appealed the state government to hear and honour the genuine voice of the people as expressed by the JCPI and various tribal hohos in the memorandum addressed to the chief minister without further excuses.
NIPF through its media cell expressed dismay at the state government’s delay in implementation of Inner Line Pass/Permit (ILPI) in the whole of Nagaland and also RIIN even after the commission had submitted its report.
NIPF stated that the rally in various district headquarters on March 19, 2021 was a clear message that the Indigenous people of Nagaland was much concerned about the future and safety of the people of Nagaland, which it said “can soon be overwhelmed by non-indigenous people as well as illegal immigrants like our neighbouring Districts of Assam and States like Tripura and Sikkim.”
RIIN against Naga aspirations for integration: NH
Maintaining a different stand against demands by various apex tribe hohos and civil society organisations for implementation of Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland(RIIN), Naga Hoho has cautioned that the matter should be handled with “utmost care” lest it leads to “unforeseen and dangerous implications for the Nagas as a people.”
Naga Hoho, in a statement, agreed that the demand for extension of ILP to Dimapur over the concerns on influx of illegal immigrants was a genuine cause. NH however said “entangling ILP and RIIN as a synonymous is a gambit to throw a spanner against Naga aspirations for integration of Naga ancestral homeland.
It said this would also sow seeds of division between Nagas of different states, so as to “leverage Nagaland as a legitimate political entity in the best interests of the so-called pure indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland.”