Background on Frontier Nagaland Territory

GUWAHATI: The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), a prominent tribal body, has urged the Nagaland government to submit its comments on the proposed “Frontier Nagaland Territory” (FNT) to the central government by October 31.

Earlier, the central government requested the Neiphiu Rio administration to provide feedback on the draft memorandum of settlement (MoS) related to FNT.

Recent Developments

Following a coordination and consultative meeting with various tribal organizations in Mon town on Friday, the ENPO decided to formally write to the state government regarding this matter. This marks the third communication from the ENPO to the government in the past two months, emphasizing the importance of addressing the issue.

In a previous letter dated September 14, the ENPO urged the government to take the matter seriously and adhere to the spirit of collective responsibility as outlined in Article 164(2) of the Constitution of India while sharing its views on the MoS draft.

Concerns Over Delays

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had previously provided the highlights of the draft MoS for FNT to the Nagaland government on December 18 of last year, requesting a prompt response. The ENPO has expressed frustration over the ongoing delay, stating, “However, the issue has remained unresolved to date for reasons known only to the state government.”

Upcoming Meetings

To discuss further actions, tribal organizations from eastern Nagaland plan to hold another meeting on November 1.

ENPO’s Role and Regional Context

The ENPO serves as the apex tribal organization for eastern Nagaland, which includes the districts of Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang. The organization has been leading a “people’s movement” for the establishment of the Frontier Nagaland Territory, citing concerns over the region’s developmental challenges.

During last year’s 60th statehood celebration at the Hornbill Festival, residents of eastern Nagaland boycotted the event in light of their ongoing demands. This year, they also abstained from participating in the Lok Sabha elections, despite Nagaland having 60 Assembly seats, 20 of which are located in the six districts represented by the ENPO.