DIMAPUR,July 23(NNN): The Nagaland cabinet deliberated the demand of the Eastern Naga People`s Organisation (ENPO) for creation of a separate state comprising four eastern districts of Nagaland namely Tuensang, Mon, Longleng and Kiphire districts, as contained in the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister of India on November 25, 2010 and referred back to the Government of Nagaland for its views by the Government of India.
An official source said the Nagaland cabinet noted that the state government had already constituted “a High Level Official Committee” headed by the Chief Secretary to study the demand, as well as other points, raised by ENPO in their memorandum and that the Committee had submitted its findings and recommendations to the State Government on May 23 this year and that the Cabinet in its earlier meeting held on July 26 had considered and discussed the Committees report, and had further constituted five Cabinet Sub-Committees to pursue the findings and recommendations contained in the report of the high level official committee, and that the Cabinet Sub-Committees have already started their works in all seriousness with a view to find solutions for redressing the genuine grievances and the special problems which were highlighted in the ENPO memorandum as well as the “High Level Official Committee Report.”
The source said, as regards to the demand for a separate state contained in the memorandum, the Cabinet strongly reiterated its position to stand by the four resolutions already passed by the State assembly on various occasions, demanding integration of all contiguous Naga inhibited areas under one administrative umbrella.
The Cabinet took note of the resolution passed on July 20 by a joint meeting of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) legislators and MPs which resolved to recommend to the State Cabinet for the creation of an autonomous council of the ENPO areas to the Government of India for consideration. The cabinet therefore proposes the formation of an autonomous councilor authority comprising the four eastern districts of Nagaland, in view of certain historical background as reflected in the provisions of Article 371-A(2) of the Constitution of India, and the area being comparatively less developed, provided that it is the desire of the people to be expressed in a democratic manner through their constitutionally elected representatives, as well as other popularly accepted public organizations or platforms, the official source added.
The source added that the Cabinet is of the firm view that the Government of India is expected to know what should be the best way of resolving the issue at hand keeping in view the larger interest of the Naga people. The Cabinet decided to request the Government of India to intervene in the matter by taking an early decision so that further problems do not arise in Nagaland which is already faced with multiple problems, it added.
