The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), which has long advocated for a separate state comprising six eastern districts of Nagaland, announced on Monday that it has “temporarily” accepted the Centre’s proposal for the creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT), granting the region a certain level of autonomy.
The proposal was presented to ENPO representatives during a tripartite meeting held in New Delhi on December 13. Despite their ongoing demand for a separate state of Frontier Nagaland, ENPO clarified that it has decided to temporarily accept the FNT proposal due to the challenges faced by the Government of India at the current moment.
“The ENPO delegation made its unwavering stand very clear that the demand of the people of Eastern Nagaland is for a separate state ‘Frontier Nagaland’. However, the ENPO having considered the difficulties of the Government of India at the present juncture had decided to temporarily accept the offer of the Centre for FNT, a unique arrangement with executive, legislative and financial autonomy,” the organisation stated.
In a statement signed by ENPO President Chingmak Chang and General Secretary M Honang Konyak, the organisation reiterated its “unwavering” demand for a separate state but expressed optimism that the central government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will fulfill the offer of FNT in the best interest of the people of Eastern Nagaland.
The ENPO has also announced that a second round of tripartite talks involving the Centre, the state government, and ENPO will be held by the second week of January to address unresolved issues. The previous meeting followed discussions between the ENPO and a Home Ministry committee on August 13 in Guwahati.
The ENPO further expressed confidence that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio would honor their commitments made last year regarding the issues of the six districts in eastern Nagaland, once the NDPP-BJP government came to power in the state.
The six districts—Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang—are home to eight tribes: Chang, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, Yimkhiung, Khiamniungan, and a section of Sema.
The ENPO has been demanding statehood for the region since 2010, citing neglect in all sectors since the creation of Nagaland in 1963. The organisation recently intensified its efforts, including a boycott of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Urban Local Body elections.
The state Cabinet deliberated on the FNT demand on October 30, with discussions ongoing regarding the creation of the proposed territory.