GUWAHATI: The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) has slammed the Nagaland government’s move to create a master list of indigenous inhabitants, terming it “contrary to the inherent rights of Nagas”.
In a press statement issued by its ministry of information and publicity, the militant outfit said that the move to introduce the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) was also “politically motivated” to suit the interest of groups advocating the ‘16-Point Agreement’.
“The Nagaland state does not and will not represent the national decision of the Naga people. It (the state) was purely formed to divide the Nagas,” the statement said.
The NSCN (I-M) said that since nothing was conclusive on the Naga issue until a mutually agreed honourable political solution was signed between the two entities, any attempt to dilute the final political settlement by justifying any past accord of treason should be seriously viewed by all Nagas.
NSCN (I-M) reiterated that all Nagas were indigenous in their ancestral and homeland, which was contiguous.
“It is the legitimate right and political decision of Nagas to live together under one political roof. Nagas do not and will not accept their division by imposed artificial state and international boundaries. This is the key focus of all Nagas and any political steps to be taken should be in conjunction with this decision,” the outfit said in the statement
NSCN (I-M) further maintained that all Naga territories were officially acknowledged even by the government of India as the legitimate right of Nagas “except by a few treacherous opportunists opposed to it”.
“All Nagas, wherever they are, are indigenous in their own land by virtue of their common history. We uphold this principle to the last and it should not be distorted by anyone under any circumstances,” the outfit said.
It may be mentioned that the Nagaland government has started the process of preparing a register of all indigenous inhabitants of the state from July 10. The main aim of the 60-day exercise, done as part of the inner line permit system, will be to check issuance of fake indigenous inhabitant certificates.