DIMAPUR— Clearing the doubt and misunderstanding caused by a “fake” draft proposal claiming to have been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) has assured the stakeholders that the new arrangement for socio-economic uplift of the people from eastern region will not hamper the common cause of the Nagas.
In a statement, the ENPO outrightly denounced the “fake and misleading” draft, saying that some people with vested interest have created confusion and mistrust in the minds of Nagas.
“Nowhere in the original proposed draft submitted by ENPO to GoI is there any mention of surrendering of National workers from eastern Nagaland along with arms in the event of signing of Memorandum of Settlement (MoS), keeping in view that the Naga national movement is a greater movement for a common cause,” read the statement, clarifying one of the points mentioned in the fake draft.
The initial draft had one point that read “It shall continue its initiative with the Naga National Workers belonging to members from eastern Nagaland in order to ensure peace and progress in the region” but due to lack of clarity, it was changed to “In order to ensure peace and progress, the ENPO landmark resolution of 18th December, 2007, ‘There shall be no bloodshed, killings, intimidation or any form of violence within ENPO jurisdiction’ shall continue to be in force in the entire region of ENPO (sic),” it said.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]“Nowhere in the original draft is there mention about fencing the international border. Each and every Naga knows that although we are divided by artificial borders, we have our ethnical brothers and sisters across the border, and especially those living in the border areas even have immediate kin,” it added.
The ENPO also said that “the proposed new arrangement is to fulfil people’s aspiration for self-governing administrative set-up under Article 371A of the Constitution of India to enable the people of the region to attain their social, political, economic, educational, cultural and linguistic aspirations”.
It said the initial proposed draft had a point that said “Article 371A (1) shall be suitably amended so as to repeal the earlier provision for Regional Council and incorporate the provisions relating to the new arrangement” but the same has been “removed in toto”.
The ENPO went on to assure all the stakeholders that “there is no point in the proposed draft that may hamper our Naga national movement, keeping in mind that this is a greater and common cause for all the Nagas, irrespective of tribes or areas; nor there is any point that may infringe upon Article 371A of the Constitution of India”.
It requested all the Nagas, government of Nagaland and stakeholders to extend their moral support and pave the way for peaceful signing of the new arrangement.