Last month, a group of leaders from the Eastern Naga People’s Organisation (ENPO) submitted a memorandum to the Union ministry of home affairs on the formation of a new state out of Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire and Longleng districts in Nagaland. The tribes here — Konyak, Khiamniungan, Sangtam, Phom, Chang and Yimchungru — have felt neglected, as “elite tribes” from the state have been politically powerful since its statehood in 1963.
A memorandum raising a similar demand but with inclusion of tribal areas in Arunachal Pradesh was also submitted to Vice-President Hamid Ansari, when he visited Nagaland last year.
The demand for a new state and its name, Nagaland Frontier, perhaps has a connection in political historical and social relations besides political engineering.
The Tuensang Frontier Division was a part of the reconstituted North East Frontier Area reconstituted under North-East Frontier Areas (Administration) Regulation of 1954. Comprising the present four districts, the division was later separated in 1957 and merged with Naga Hills.
A rift between the economically and educationally backward “eastern areas” — literacy hovers around 35 per cent in Mon district opposed to 80 per cent in Kohima — and so-called “forward” tribes was reason good enough to offer political opportunities. Delhi will use this opportunity to counter Muivah.
“The new demand of these four districts completely demolishes the demand for an integrated Nagalim by NSCN (I-M),” said a government source. “Every villager from 680 villages in this area and every village chief, has signed the memorandum,” a senior home ministry official said.
The demand has already gained momentum.