Imphal: The Rongmei tribe, also known as the Rongmei Naga, an Indigenous Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group of Northeast India residing in the states of Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland, has demanded shifting of administrative and developmental programmes of Rongmei villages from the Kuki dominated Churachandpur and Kangpokpi to Naga dominated Noney district of Manipur.
To this effect, a memorandum has been submitted by three Rongmei Naga organizations, the Rongmei Naga Council Manipur, Ntayphay Luangrian (RNCM NTL), the Chief/Chairman Association, Ntayphay Luan-grian (Kangpokpi and Churachandpur District), and the Rongmei Naga Students’ Organization, Manipur (RN-SOM) to Chief Minister, N Biren Singh on June 15.
Pointing out the pressing issues faced by the Rongmei Naga communities in the Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts, the memorandum states that it has been the long-awaited dream of the Ntayphay Luangrian (Foothills) to merge under Noney District Administration for our conveniences.
The Rongmei Naga people are not a minority tribe among the tribal communities of Manipur.
The Rongmei Naga people are divided and scattered into different administrative areas reducing the Rongmei Naga people to a minority status in Churachandpur and the present Kangpokpi districts of Manipur.
Regarding the impact of ongoing ethnic clashes between two communities in Manipur since May 3, 2023, it states that daily normal chores of the public irrespective of the communities are badly affected.
The Naga people in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts are adversely affected, bearing the brunt of the conflict.
The movement of the Rongmei Naga in these two district headquarters for daily administrative and business works is put to a total halt due to frisking, threatening, and harassment.
All government schemes like MGNREGA, NFSA, PMJAY, Anganwadi, old age pension, etc. have been completely inaccessible due to biased administration toward the minority Naga community in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts in the pretext of the current conflict.
As regards the NH-37 and security concerns, the memorandum also states that the NH-37 is the second lifeline of Manipur.
Despite all efforts, the Kangpokpi district administration and police are unable to discharge their duties properly and take care of the highways starting from Keithelmanbi to Pongringlong due to the distance factor.
The Rongmei believes that Noney district HQ is closer to the said stretch handling over of the whole jurisdictions that fall under Kangpokpi district along the NH 37 to Noney district will greatly improve the overall security concerns.