Decades of neglect, poor roads, and administrative apathy have pushed one of Nagaland’s oldest sub-divisions to demand district status
At the Town Hall in Mangkolemba on Friday, hundreds gathered from the three ranges – Jangpetkong, Japukong, and Tzürangkong – under one demand: to make Mangkolemba, one of Nagaland’s oldest sub-divisions, a full-fledged district.
Organized by the District Demand Committee, Mangkolemba (DDCM), the public rally and meeting marked a renewed call for administrative recognition and equitable development. The event, initially scheduled for early October but postponed due to unavoidable circumstances, brought together representatives of village councils, women’s and youth organizations, and student bodies from across the ranges.
Speakers at the meeting said that Mangkolemba’s prolonged neglect was not the failure of its people but of the system. “The people are not backward, the land is,” said a youth representative, voicing frustration over decades of uneven development.
The speakers highlighted how the area remains grossly underdeveloped, with extremely poor road connectivity, weak healthcare, limited educational institutions and inadequate infrastructure.
Mangkolemba subdivision, comprising four administrative circles – Mangkolemba ADC, Alongkima EAC, Longchem EAC, and Merangmen EAC – covers nearly half of Mokokchung district’s total area and includes 54 villages, nine of which belong to other Naga tribes. Despite this size and significance, the area continues to function under a single Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), forcing many villagers to travel over 80 kilometres to Mokokchung district headquarters for official work.
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“There are people who spend nearly Rs 8,000 on vehicle hire to collect Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000 from the district office,” one speaker said, highlighting the economic burden faced by residents.
At the heart of Mangkolemba’s isolation lies an 11-kilometre stretch of road connecting the town to National Highway 702D – a lifeline that went unrepaired for over three decades. Until recently, vehicles could not ply during the monsoon season, effectively cutting off the region from the rest of the district. Civil society organizations, including the Mangkolemba Civil Society Organization (CSO) and Mangkolemba Ao Lanur Telongjem (MALT), had to stage public protests before the government began long-overdue repair work last year.
“Mangkolemba, despite being one of the oldest sub-divisions, still feels like an outskirt,” Tiakumzuk, Convenor of the CSO, had told Mokokchung Times in an earlier interaction.
Speakers at the rally also cited Mangkolemba’s strategic importance, sharing a long and sensitive border with Assam where tensions are frequent. Local officials often act as first responders, while Assam deploys senior officers, creating what participants described as a “rank and authority imbalance.”
The gathering reiterated that the demand for district status was not to divide the Ao community but to strengthen it through equitable development and balanced progress. “Our vision is to achieve unity by ensuring equal opportunities, balanced development, and shared progress for all,” one representative said.
The Ao Senden, the apex Ao organization, had earlier issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) formally supporting the upgradation of Mangkolemba into a full-fledged district.
Residents also argued that Mangkolemba holds economic potential to become a major horticultural and agricultural hub, with agarwood, rubber, and betel nut plantations, as well as fisheries and allied sectors showing promise for sustainable livelihoods.
After the meeting, a memorandum reiterating the long-standing appeal was submitted to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio through the ADC office. The document, citing administrative inefficiency, poor road connectivity, and the area’s economic potential, urged the government to upgrade Mangkolemba into a full-fledged district.
