DIMAPUR, JULY 28: The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation has termed as fake and misleading a purported draft proposal it will submit to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which is currently in circulation.
“ENPO urges each and every individual to kindly desist from such unscrupulous and malicious practices in true Christian spirit. It is learned that the fake draft contains certain points such as (a) to pursue for laying down of arms by the National Workers hailing from Eastern Nagaland region, (b) to put up border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border touching the areas of Eastern Nagaland.
“In the wake of such confusion and mistrust created in the minds of peace-loving Nagas by some people with vested interest, ENPO once again reiterates and categorically denounce the fake draft”, read a press statement issued on Friday.
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”, it stated.
“It may be brought out to light that in the initial draft, ENPO had inserted one point which reads: ‘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’. However, it was later found that the point lack clarity and created confusion.
“As such, the point had been altered as: ‘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”, it stated.
The Organisation also clarified that nowhere in the original draft is there a 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 is worth pointing out that way back in 2016, when there was a move to construct fencing along the Myanmar border, ENPO came with strong opposition, held protest rally at Pangsha Helipad and obstructed the move.
“Further, the Khiamniungan Tribal Council and ENPO officials went to New Delhi in 2017 and submitted a memorandum to the Hon’ble Prime Minister opposing the move for any fence. As such, the question of a move to fence the international border by ENPO does not arise at all. Therefore, it is hereby clarified to all the concerned stakeholders 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 read.
The ENPO stated that in the initial proposed draft, there was a point that Article 371A (1) (d) should be suitably amended so as to repeal the earlier provision for Regional Council and incorporate the provisions relating to the new arrangement.
“But this point is now removed in toto. Finally, with absolute clarity of our conscious (sic), ENPO would like to ensure (sic) to 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 stated.
(Page News Service)
ENPO decries circulation of “fake & misleading purported draft proposal”
