The Ao Senden has welcomed the step taken by the state government for the implementation of the Registration of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN). However, it has requested the state government to rethink its decision to have two cut-off years for issuing ‘inner line pass.’
In a press release, Ao Senden president Marsanen Imsong and general secretary Imtipokyim said that RIIN must be strictly enforced with December 1, 1963, as the cut-off date for the “non-indigenous people” in order to safeguard the “interest and indigenousness of the tribals of Nagaland state.”
“In the matter of RIIN, so long as the State of Nagaland is protected by Article 371A of the Constitution of India,” Ao Senden said it is pertinent that the indigenous tribals within the state need to be protected in the matters of land holdings and ownership, education, employment, business, etc.
With regard to the “inner line pass” for the districts of Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland, the Ao Senden requested the state government to “rethink and revisit” the decision of having two cut-off years – 1 December 1963 and 21 November 1979 – for issuing the pass.
“The purpose of inner line pass is to safeguard the interest of the Indigenous Tribals of Nagaland from the influx of outsiders so that we will not be overwhelmed by the outsiders in our own land and preserve ourselves as indigenous Tribals of Nagaland. Hence, the cut-off year 1 December 1963 should be applied,” it added.