Zeliangrong
Representative image

NSCN (I-M)’s initiative to recognize Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei as separate tribes, who were earlier clubbed together as Zeliangrong, seems to have hit roadblocks.

It is learnt that a Zeliangrong public consultative meeting has expressed its opposition to the move.

The public consultative meeting held on April 3 at Zeliangrong Baudi Hall, Jalukie Peren district has adopted a five-point resolution, signed by Zeliangrong Baudi (AMN) president, Athuan Abonmai; All Zeliangrong Students’ Union president, Nchahing Kompoing and Zeliangrong Youth Front president, Titus Kamei.

The resolution stated that Tatar Hoho of NSCN (I-M)’s ‘arbitrary decision to trifurcate the three tribes without prior consent of the people was completely contradictory to the tribe as recognized by the Naga Nation in all platforms’.

The signatories also claimed that these people were aggrieved by the ‘unilateral decision’ of the Tatar Hoho.

Therefore, they said the ‘declaration’ was made in the ‘common interest and aspiration’ of the people and to ‘safeguard and protect’ the political future of these people in particular and Nagas in general.

The declaration stated that history of these people, which was bound by ‘indestructible bond of blood relationship’, would ‘uphold to sustain’ and to ‘remain as one people, one vision and one voice’.

It declared that the collective political future of the tribe should not be ‘disturbed or sabotaged’ by any other forces.

The tribe demanded for the revocation of NSCN (I-M) Tatar Hoho’s ‘arbitrary decision’ on or before April 30, 2018 in the interest of the tribe and in the larger interest of Naga people in general.