MHA to decide on the future of Frontier Nagaland in Guwahati on January 5: ENPO

The Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO), the apex tribal organisation of eastern Nagaland, which controls six of the state's sixteen districts, will meet tomorrow to decide how to proceed ahead of the upcoming elections.

While talking to IndiaTodayNE Manglang Phom who is the general secretary of ENPO said that " We have decided not to participate the election. It is limited to six districts and twenty constituencies. We are eagerly waiting for the Indian government's suggestions and proposals."

Three senior MHA officials, led by A K Mishra, Advisor Northeast, will attend the meeting in Guwahati on January 5, 2023 to discuss about the outcome.

"The demand is for a separate state called "Frontier Nagaland," which consists of four of the most backward districts and six major Naga tribes. "The reason for such a movement is for the development and welfare of the people in eastern Nagaland," said Manglang phom, the general secretary of ENPO, while speaking to India today.

While talking to India Today NE Suzzane Konyak, BJP leader, who is also a citizen of Mon district from eastern Nagaland said, “In most parts of Eastern Naga, people lack access to safe drinking water. The use of water from streams and villages built on uncovered reservoirs is frequently the source of water-borne disease. Many villages still lack electricity, and there are no good higher education institutions.

The number of high schools, ME schools, and LP schools is far insufficient. Teachers from advanced tribes assigned to schools in the Eastern areas are habitual absentees who get away with it despite VDB complaints. Many schools have been operating without a minimum number of teachers for months. There are no adequate hospitals even in the Districts.”

“Many villages still lack electricity, and there are no good colleges for higher education. The number of high schools, ME schools, and LP schools is far below the required number, and many are in disrepair. Teachers from advanced tribes assigned to schools in the Eastern areas are habitual absentees who get away with it despite repeated complaints from VDBs.

Many schools have been operating without a minimum number of teachers for months. There are no proper hospitals, even in the District and Sub-Divisional Headquarters, the existing Public Health Centres are completely neglected, there is no medicine for the patients, and good doctors and medical officers are not posted in the Eastern areas.” Suzzane added

The ENPO is a coalition of tribal councils and organisations committed to establishing Frontier Nagaland as a separate state in Eastern Nagaland. Last month, an ENPO delegation met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss their demands with the Union government.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Nagaland on Friday, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the state after January 10, and only then will a decision on the demand be made, according to sources.

Meanwhile, the co-chairman of the opposition-less UDA in Nagaland Azo Neinu has made a big revelation on January 3, 2023 with regard to the ENPO's demand for a separate Frontier Nagaland.

Speaking to the media after the first cabinet meeting of 2023, NPF legislature party leader Neinu claimed that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) team that visited Nagaland recently had ruled out the creation of a separate Frontier Nagaland as demanded by the ENPO.