The Ao Senden has welcomed the step taken by the state government for implementation of 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 Nagalans 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 the matters of land holdings and ownership, education, employment, business, etc.
With regard to “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.