RIIN against Nagaland rights: NSCN-IM

GUWAHATI: The NSCN(IM) on Friday disapproved the Nagaland government's exercise to prepare a Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland ( RIIN ) and termed it as "contradictory to the inherent rights of the Nagas."


In a statement, the group said, "The RIIN is politically motivated to suit the interest of the groups advocating for the 16-point Agreement.

The Nagaland state does not and will not represent the national decision of the Naga people . It was formed purely to divide the Nagas."

Nagaland on Wednesday began the process to enumerate its indigenous inhabitants which will completed over a period of two months. The process was initiated to streamline issuing of indigenous inhabitant certificates. "All Nagas are indigenous in their ancestral homeland, which is contiguous. It is the legitimate right and political decision of the Naga people to live together under one political roof. The Nagas do not and will not accept their division by imposed artificial state and international boundaries. This is the key focus of all Nagas and any political steps to be taken must be in conjunction with this decision," the group stated.

The group went on to say that "integration of all Naga territories has been officially acknowledged by the Government of India as the legitimate right of the Nagas, except by a few treacherous opportunists, who are opposed to it. Hence all Nagas, wherever they are, are indigenous in their land by virtue of their common history."

"Nothing is conclusive on the Naga issue until and unless a mutually agreed honorable political solution is signed between the two entities," it added.