By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has alleged that the Nagaland government is attempting to weaken key provisions of the agreement related to the proposed Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), accusing it of retreating from commitments made during tripartite negotiations.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the organisation voiced concern over what it described as efforts to alter significant clauses of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on February 5, 2025. The pact envisages the creation of the FNTA as a special self-governing body with legislative, executive and financial powers within the state.
According to ENPO, the agreement was the result of prolonged discussions and consensus-building among stakeholders. It argued that any attempt to modify the signed provisions would compromise the very purpose of the arrangement and dilute the assurances given to the people of Eastern Nagaland.
The organisation urged the state government to introduce and pass the FNTA Bill in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly without making changes to the agreed framework. It said the proposed authority was designed to address decades-old concerns relating to governance, development and equitable representation in the region.
ENPO further claimed that the state government was now moving away from positions it had previously supported during consultations. It pointed out that comments submitted by the government to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in 2023 had endorsed, in principle, the grant of legislative, executive and financial autonomy to the proposed authority.
Stressing the importance of implementing the agreement in its original form, the organisation said doing so would contribute to long-term peace, progress and socio-economic development in Eastern Nagaland.
Amid the ongoing dispute, ENPO has convened a meeting of its Central Executive Council (CEC) in Tuensang on June 3 to discuss the issue. Members of the council, legislators from Eastern Nagaland and representatives from district units have been invited to attend.
The meeting will follow a separate consultation scheduled for June 2 with political party leaders from Eastern Nagaland, tribal bodies and district-level office-bearers. ENPO has requested political parties to send three-member delegations, while tribal councils have been asked to nominate their key office-bearers.
The Nagaland government has not yet responded publicly to the allegations.