Naga social activist Theja Therieh bats for "independent civil body" to work for political solution ::::: "RIIN exercise must be executed to identify and place residents in different categories"

“The need of the hour is for an independent civil body that can take full responsibility on behalf of the stakeholders to create a landing ground for solutions. 

The time is right for the civil bodies to converge and remain focused on the task ahead,” social activist Theja Therieh said. 

He also said the Registration of Indigenous Inhabitants of  Nagaland (RIIN) as proposed a few years back must be implemented in "totality" 

.... to identify the residents and place them in different categories of entitlement and privileges as per the existing law of the land.

Addressing a function organised to celebrate Tsükhenye festival 2025 at Kisama on Saturday; Theja Therieh, however said -- "... for whatever reason best known to people in power, the state government is unable to prepare a real time data, a master list with classifications of citizens in the state".

The Nagaland government had initiated RIIN to create a list of indigenous inhabitants, aiming to clarify their citizenship and potentially address issues related to land ownership and other rights.  

The Tangkhul tribe is one of the many communities potentially affected by RIIN, reports say. The Tangkhuls, primarily residing in the Ukhrul district of Manipur, have expressed concerns earlier about the potential impact of RIIN on their identity and rights in Nagaland. 

“We don’t need to be hostile to the immigrants, but we need a unique identification of people in our state and for this reason, the state has proposed to exercise Registration of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN),” Theja said. 

“Today, we are fortunate to have a state with special provisions and privileges, and therefore, we must protect and preserve what rightfully belongs to us,” he said.

"One of our biggest problems today is the assimilation of people from outside, and despite having BEFR 1873, popularly known as ILP, we are unable to prevent illegal immigration," he pointed out.

Stating that the stalemate of "our" progress and development is because of pending Naga political issue, he said the ongoing negotiations must be brought to its logical conclusion.

"For that the elected House (assembly) must come out from its Status quo club and facilitate the peace process with all sincerity and commitment by taking the full constitutional responsibilities over the state and its citizens.”

(The phrase Status quo club -- most often used by the blogger --- seems to have gained popularity now among popular social activists too.)  

“The Naga negotiating groups must be pragmatic and accept the contemporary and ground realities. 

This is not the time for the Naga political groups to exhibit superiority and dominance over one another. The time has come for us to set aside our pride and ego and accept reality,” he underlined.  

“The need of the hour is for an independent civil body that can take full responsibility on behalf of the stakeholders to create a landing ground for solutions. 

The time is right for the civil bodies to converge and remain focused on the task ahead,” Therieh added.  

It may be mentioned in January the idea of an 'independent civil body' was emphasised in these columns.  

Nagas are in Nagaland and also neighbouring states of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. There are sizable Nagas in Myanmar too. In the 1960s, the Naga People's Convention (NPC) was created to facilitate a Peace treaty. The statehood agreement was worked out. 

Now; have people taken the round trip - like the hands of a clock - come back to the same point ? 

Some personalities in the 1950s and 1960s were committed and sincere people. There maybe a need for the Naga People-s Convention - NPC 2.0.

At present - in the 21st century - everyone is tricky and hence unpredictable. 

There is a no pan-Nagaland state pro-Solution body today. The village elders tried their bit. The NTC plunged into the shenanigans but now the organisation is practically defunct. 

There are mandarins now in Delhi who feel it's time to pull the rope.

In movie 'The English Game' one protagonist says - "Football is not about moving ahead only. Its about space".

ends