On Saturday, a delegation of Eastern Naga People's Organization (Enpo) leaders met Rio and submitted him a memorandum on their demand. The organization had submitted the same memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on November 25, 2010 seeking a separate "Frontier Nagaland", a demand that was not endorsed by the state government.
"We had a thorough discussion. The issues that they came up with need to be discussed in detail both within and outside the assembly. But I made it clear to them that the Centre has to decide whether it would agree to their demand," Rio told newspersons after meeting the Enpo delegation.
"I told them categorically that some states were opposed to the creation of Nagaland as a full-fledged state. The issue was was debated in Parliament and MPs from Assam were against the idea. Despite this, the Centre went ahead with the creation of Nagaland. Now, it is up to New Delhi to decide whether there can be another state within the state. The people of Nagaland should keep this in mind and there's no point fighting among themselves," the CM added. "One thing the Nagas should remember. They may stay in Myanmar, Manipur, Assam or Arunachal Pradesh. But wherever we are, we are Nagas first," Rio said.
Six major tribal groups in insurgency-hit Nagaland have come together to demand carving out of "Frontier Nagaland". The demand was raised by the Changs, the Konyaks, the Sangtams, the Khiamniungans, the Yimchungrus and the Phoms under the aegis of Enpo. The demand is considered a setback for outfits like NSCN (IM), which is now engaged in peace negotiations with the government after leading a six-decade- long bloody insurgency movement. The NSCN(I-M)'s key demand is unification of all Naga inhabited areas comprising entire Nagaland and some areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Asked about the plights of Nagas living in Myanmar, the CM said, "They have got recognition there. The situation is improving. I am in touch with them." He added that he had written to the ambassador of Myamar, thanking the government of that country for recognizing the Nagas and electing them as MPs and MLAs.