KOHIMA: The second Tripartite Meeting on the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) took place at the Chümoukedima Police Complex on January 15 and continued for over five hours. This meeting consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the state government, and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organization (ENPO).
After the meeting, ENPO president A. Chingmak Chang addressed the press, saying that the FNT proposal came from the Government of India, and the original demand was to have a separate state. He expressed hope that the government is really committed towards putting an end to the issue in a respectful manner. Chang again reiterated that the proposed FNT must include Legislative, Executive, and Financial autonomy, which the government has agreed in principle.
Though Chang admitted that critical issues were raised at the meeting, he declined to go into further details. He said that many key issues still remain unsolved and that another meeting will soon be held. To combat unemployment, the ENPO has urged the setting up of a central battalion to create employment opportunities and its modernization proposal for village guards has been accepted by the central government.
Chang said that the ex-officio representatives suggested by the government need further consultation with constitutional experts. He confirmed that the historical and political aspirations of the Eastern Nagas were discussed in detail, but no written clarity has been provided by the MHA so far.
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