Kohima: Over a hundred delegates from 15 Naga tribes of Nagaland, after deliberation at the fourth meeting of all tribal leaders at Dimapur, unanimously resolved to constitute a body under the name Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC).
In a joint communique the Convener of the NTC, Pius Lotha, and Secretary, Theja Therieh, disclosed, on Saturday night, that the composition of the NTC, formed on Saturday, would include Naga tribes of Nagaland with equal representation from all the tribal organisations.
The signatories also said the meeting decided that at the interim period, a seven-member committee would work out the modalities and structure of the new body and also reach out to all tribal organisations.
A committee was also constituted to draft the constitution of the NTC which is to be placed at the next meeting on June 22 for approval of the house.
The meeting has also requested all tribal organisations to delegate three members each to represent their respective tribes at the NTC.
The evolution of the new apex tribal body of Naga tribes was initiated after consultative meetings were held to discuss the issue over recognition of Rongmei tribe as a Scheduled Tribe in the state.
Saturday’s meeting has approved the draft representation to be submitted to the Government of Nagaland to reaffirm, that ‘Rongmei tribe is not a tribe in Nagaland and demands for abrogation of the Cabinet decision dated 23.07.2012’ which accorded the Rongmei tribe as a recognised tribe in Nagaland.
The Nagaland Tribes Council draft also demanded that the Nagaland Government immediately recall the Government notification which accorded Reongmei tribe as a recognised tribe in Nagaland.
Further, the Nagaland Tribes Council asserted that it remained firm in not recognize any tribe from outside the state ‘given recognition by any authority.’
While expressing appreciation to all tribal leaders for their ‘overwhelming responses’, the signatories also appealed to all tribal organizations of Nagaland and ‘all like-minded people to extend goodwill and participate, in the larger interest of all the people’.
The Nagaland Government had recently disclosed that it had constituted an official committee headed by the Commissioner to take submit report on the request by the Mao community in Nagaland to be included as a scheduled tribe in Nagaland. Similar requests were also received by the state from two other Naga tribes of Manipur. (UNI)
