EMN
Dimapur, April 28
A local organization representing the Rengma community has added its weight to the demand of the Rengma Hoho to make Tseminyu subdivision a district. Tseminyu subdivision is currently under Kohima district.
The organization, the Rengma Selo Zi, issued a statement on Thursday supporting the initiative of the Rengma Hoho for a ‘Tseminyu district.’ The group asserted that “all facts and data” point to Tseminyu and her people as having “every right, capacity and maturity to decide its own future in all aspects. As such the Tseminyu sub-division has the requisite merits to have a separate district.”
The Rengma Selo Zi iterated “the fact” that the Rengma Naga “has continued to be deprived of this rightful claim even after more than half-a-century of statehood.” In the claims of the group, the community was “divided and neglected in both the states of Nagaland and Assam.”
The press release explained:
“Whereas the Rengmas since times immemorial have a distinctive identity, culture, language, geographical territory and most importantly a unique history and a defined jurisdiction, the erstwhile Rengma Hills was only to be divided and neglected in both the states of Nagaland and Assam.
It reminds the state government that, even after statehood, Tseminyu being one of the oldest sub-divisions was at par with the then other sub-divisions and as old as Longleng, Kiphire, Peren, and Phek among others, whereas these sub-divisions were upgraded into districts, Tseminyu was only to be sidelined decades after decades under successive governments.”
Referencing the 2011 census, the organization stated that Tseminyu sub-division had recorded a total population of 56,844 with 39 recognized villages, 3 townships, 2 rural development blocks (Chunlikha and Tseminyu) and an outpost for an extra assistant commissioner at Tsogin. They are administrative units besides various other established government offices and public institutions.
“All facts and data indicate that Tseminyu and its people have every right, capacity and maturity to decide its own future in all aspects. As such the Tseminyu sub-division has the requisite merits to have a separate district,” the Rengma Selo Zi stated.
“On the other hand, despite all these justifications and merits, if the state government continues to be reluctant, turns a blind eye to the facts and deaf ear to this demand, the RSZ will consider it as the government’s policy to intentionally suppress the Rengma tribe.”
However, the statement challenged, if the government ‘feels’ that Tseminyu sub-division does not have the ‘requisite qualifications’ to be upgraded to a district, “the modalities for the same” should be placed before the public “in the best interest of the common good.”
As long as the matter is kept in the cold storage, the Rengma community will remain deprived of a claim “that’s neither selfish nor misplaced but based on legitimate grounds.”
The organization added: “The RSZ with great belief in the present government’s dedication and capacity to deliver good and fair governance instils its faith on the government to take positive action towards fulfilling the long cherished dream of the Rengma tribe for a separate district.”
In this regard, the Rengma Selo Zi stated, as “the voice of the Rengma youths” promises to leave no stone unturned to ‘ensure that this rightful demand be fulfilled without any further delay or unfounded manoeuvring.’
