Mokokchung, August 1 (MTNews): The Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) which has been pressurizing the state government on the exploration and extraction of oil in the state has appealed to all apex tribal Hohos and civil society organizations to exert more pressure on the state government for resumption of oil exploration and extraction at an earliest possible.
CNTC in a press statement on Monday said that some of the oil bearing lands fall under Niuland, Changpang area under Wokha district and some foothills areas under Mokokchung, Longleng and Mon districts. “But due to negligence of exploration by the state government, the state is incurring heavy losses in terms of crores,” it said. CNTC president, T. Lanu Imchen reiterated that “Lothas in particular were at the loss due to non-exploration of oil from their land.”
The CNTC also appealed to all civil society organizations and NGOs to exert pressure on the central government and the negotiating parties to sign the final solution at the earliest as various Naga Political Groups were levying exorbitant taxes on their own people by taking advantage of the prolonged peace process.
CNTC and Central Nagaland Women Association (CNWA) took up these issues at the separate meetings with various Sumi organizations of downtrodden areas under Zunheboto district and Ao organizations of remote areas under Mokokchung including Ao Senden, the press statement read. “Status on the Foothill road construction was also highlighted wherein the recent amount sanctioned by the state government was also briefed to the members,” it added.
CNTC acknowledged the “responsibilities shouldered by the public of bordering villages for defending our rights for welfare of the entire Nagas and call for peaceful co-existence with our neighbors.
CNTC also explained to the members on the vision and purpose of formation of CNTC and said that it was “not a political party nor organization but a pressure group to voice out the grievances and the needs of the people of entire Nagas in general and particularly to establish unity of the three tribes for the betterment of socially, economically and politically of our people.”
The press release added that, at the meeting, CNTC vice president, Hukiye Yepthomi said “people were losing crores of rupees everyday due to non-functioning of oil exploration and extraction.” He also highlighted the CNTC’s participation in the consultation meetings called by the state government on issues such as Naga political issue, RIIN, ULB, NLTP Act etc.
CNTC vice president, Khondao Ngullie highlighted the various activities and issues undertaken by the CNTC since its inception during the last 10 years such as “de-recognition of outsiders as indigenous tribe of Nagaland” and emphasized on the formation of Central Nagaland Students’ Association (CNSA), Central Nagaland Legislators Forum (CNLF) and Central Nagaland Women Association (CNWA).
CNWA president, K. Atoli Sema briefed on the recent formation of CNWA and sought support from all sections of society.