EMN
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 26
The Dimapur administration has been accused of “violating and denying” the fundamental rights of the Indigenous Minority Tribes of Nagaland (IMTN), which is a conglomeration of four “minority recognized tribes of Nagaland” – Kuki, Kachari, Garo and Mikhir/Karbi.
A press statement on Monday said that “certain officials under Dimapur district administration” had created “a discriminatory and deliberate mischief” to violate and deny the fundamental rights of those four tribes, in relation to documents certifying them as indigenous citizens issued by the state government.
Without specifying the day (or the year), the press statement went on to say that an attempt was made to classify the four recognized tribes “as non-entity” and compare them with the non-recognized tribes/communities. According to the statement, the IMTN had submitted a memorandum on this issue to Chief Minister, TR Zeliang, way back on September 26 last.
“That the status of these indigenous tribes in their own motherland is that of a second-class citizen where even for simple documentation they are made to face various humiliations by many unwanted questions and scrutiny. That for instances when one goes for entry into electoral roll or request for ST/Indigenous certificate – they are insisted upon 1963 Electoral roll where as by 1977 notification of the government there are 3(Three) conditions either fulfillment of anyone is enough to avail certificate for the Constitution recognized Tribes of Nagaland but in the case of the 4 minority tribes they will insist upon only on 1963 e-roll which is a clear violation of government order.
“As for electoral roll entry, it is clear if someone as per R P Act 1950, who is an Indian citizen not having his name enrolled anywhere in India can get registered but for the case of the 4 minority recognized tribes, the administration insist upon the 1963 eroll, thereby creating a false, malice and illegal norms for these groups.”
The Indigenous certificate is to be issued only to the constitutionally recognized tribes of Nagaland but the administrations has been issuing such certificate even to non-recognized tribes/communities in violation of 1977 notification order of the government thereby creating problem and violating the various government orders for itself, it stated.
“The non-recognized tribes/communities who have settled prior to 1963 can be issued a Domicile or Permanent residency certificate but not indigenous certificate,” the statement read. It requested the government “to be more sensitive in its approach towards its indigenous recognized tribes who are already marginalized in their own land and home, whether it may be in terms of education, job opportunity or any other fields.”
It also stated that the four minority tribes could be the “solution to the problem of Illegal immigrants who has been controlling our daily need of foods and its products supply.”
