Mokokchung, 7 September (MTNews): In response to the Public Grievances Department of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee’s call on the state government to address the demand of the United Sangtam Students’ Conference (USSC) for the cancellation of the transfer of teachers, the Eastern Nagaland Sumi Students’ Union (ENSSU) on Thursday issued a rejoinder clarifying its position.
The ENSSU stated that they had sent a letter to the Department of School Education on 28 August 2023 expressing their objection to the USSC’s demand. The ENSSU’s objection is based on the inclusion of Sumi villages in Kiphire district under the jurisdiction of the SDEO, Seyochung, as stated by the USSC in their communications on 8 June 2023 and 8 August 2023.
Furthermore, the ENSSU mentioned that after sending a rejection letter to the Principal Director of School Education on 28 August, they received a response from the USSC on 30 August, which prompted them to reiterate their stance in a letter dated 7 September 2023 to the USSC.
The ENSSU emphasized that this clarification was necessary since Kiphire district is inhabited by multiple tribes having definite areas of jurisdiction. As such, ENSSU stressed the need for caution when using terms like ‘jurisdiction,’ even when done in good faith and spirit.
In its 7 September letter to the USSC, the ENSSU stated that they are not interested in sabotaging the USSC’s demand but are “against the ‘denial of existence’ and ‘spirit of dominance’ approach by the Conference in tackling the issue.”
The ENSSU while acknowledging the “plethora of problems” reiterated that the “problems arising under jurisdiction of Sumis under Kiphire and Shamator districts shall be looked after by the ENSSU with the department concerned.”
It is worth noting here that on 28 August 2023, the ENSSU had also sent a letter to the Principal Director, out rightly rejecting the USSC’s claim, deeming it illegitimate for “including Sumi villages in Sangtam jurisdiction.”
The Union argued that Kiphire District is inhabited by Sangtam, Yimchunger, Sangtam, and Tikhir tribes, and thus, any single tribe’s claim to jurisdiction lacks a legal basis. They accused the USSC of deliberately attempting “to distort the legitimacy of the other tribes.”
The ENSSU, while keeping in mind the interest and welfare of the students being compromised due to unorderly transfer of teachers, said they felt compelled to emphasize the ‘undesirable’ social ramifications behind the memorandum submitted to the Directorate by the USSC. Consequently, they urged the PD not to act upon the USSC’s demands, especially in Sumi villages under the jurisdiction of Kiphire District.