A prominent Naga tribal organisation has demanded implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system at Dimapur in Nagaland in letter and spirit without further delay as plains areas of the district have been allegedly swarmed with influx of illegal immigrants.
The Western Sumi Hoho made the demand to the State Government on Saturday in the aftermath of final draft NRC publication in Assam on July 30.
“The Government of the day must take some steps further to curb this issue which has been troubling the Naga public for a long time. A proper co-ordination and an appropriate mechanism have become very necessary to address this serious issue,” the Hoho said.
It appreciated the State Government for stepping up its vigil along the highways and entry points to check influx of illegal migrants while demanding that check posts at various stretches in the border areas of the State be set up with deployment of adequate police personnel.
It further demanded that the ILP check gate, which is located 13 km away from Dimapur town at Chumukedima, be brought back to New Field check gate and the Dillai gate bordering Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
The Hoho cautioned on what it called “detestable act” of recruiting non-Nagas by some Naga political groups into their folds and arming them with weapons which is jeopardizing integrity and sanctity of the ‘Naga movement’.
The Hoho also wanted that a similar exercise of NRC update conducted in Assam should be carried out in Nagaland as the influx of outsiders has reached an alarming proportion posing a serious risk for the small indigenous population.
While stating that the issue of illegal immigrants is a complex issue and the Government cannot solve it alone without the help of the civil societies and the public and vice versa, the Hoho stated, “A time has reached where the government, every Naga tribal hoho and the people join hands and fight this menace of illegal immigrants.”
In this connection, the Hoho asked its affiliated student organizations – the Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) and the Western Sumi Students Union – to remain alert and keep vigil on the influx of illegal immigrants in every area and village.
Lauding the Ao Students’ Conference farsightedness on the issue, it stressed that the Nagas need a similar movement like the former’s ‘Survival Mokokchung 2017’ movement to “free ourselves from the influx of the illegal immigrants”.