ENPO invited for third round of tripartite talks on Frontier Nagaland Territory

DIMAPUR — The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has been invited to New Delhi by the Government of India for another round of tripartite talks concerning the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT). The meeting is scheduled to take place on July 23.

According to sources from the ENPO, the third round of talks will be convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and chaired by the Union Home Secretary.

It may be recalled that the second round of tripartite talks on the FNT issue between the MHA, represented by Northeast Advisor AK Mishra, and the ENPO was held at the Chümoukedima Police Complex on January 15 this year.

Following that meeting, ENPO President A. Chingmak Chang had informed the media that while some key issues were discussed, they could not be disclosed at that stage. He had, however, revealed that the ENPO had requested the central government to provide one battalion, either a regiment or any form of central force, to the region.

Chang also said that the ENPO had requested the Government of India to enhance and modernise the village guard system, which was accepted in principle. He further reiterated that the ENPO would not sign any agreement unless their demand for executive, legislative, and financial autonomy was met, a condition which he claimed the government had also agreed to in principle.

During the second round of talks, the ENPO had asserted that its original demand was for separate statehood. However, the Government of India had offered the FNT as a political solution. The ENPO leadership had expressed hope that the Centre was serious about resolving the issue and that the outcome would be acceptable and honourable to the people of Eastern Nagaland.

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