Welcomes agreement as milestone for Eastern Nagaland and State
Dimapur, February 7 (MExN): Welcoming the creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) as a historic milestone, the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CNCCI) on Saturday urged the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) to carry its leadership responsibility beyond Eastern Nagaland and contribute towards strengthening unity among all Naga tribes.
In a statement, the CNCCI described the tripartite agreement between the Government of India, the Government of Nagaland and the ENPO as a defining moment for both Eastern Nagaland and the State as a whole, resulting in the establishment of the FNTA.
The business body said the aspirations of the people of Eastern Nagaland were genuine, justified and long overdue, and acknowledged that years of hardship and underdevelopment could have been avoided had the issues been addressed earlier through sincere engagement and decisive political action.
Nevertheless, the statement from CNCCI Chairman Dr Khekugha Muru and General Secretary Avi Chase termed the FNTA agreement a corrective and constructive step in the larger interest of equity, justice and balanced development.
Expressing confidence in the future of the FNTA region, the CNCCI said enhanced administrative focus, equitable resource allocation and people-oriented local governance would accelerate economic growth. It envisioned the FNTA emerging not merely as a beneficiary of development but as a strong economic pillar of Nagaland, contributing to employment generation and overall prosperity.
Highlighting the ENPO’s disciplined and peaceful pursuit of its demand, the CNCCI said the achievement stands as a testament to unity, perseverance and collective resolve, and noted that the wider Naga society must draw lessons from the organisation’s clarity of purpose.
The CNCCI appealed to the ENPO leadership to now extend its role beyond regional interests by sharing its experiences and lessons with other Naga tribes, with the aim of strengthening Naga solidarity under a common platform and pushing for an early, honourable and inclusive resolution of the long-pending Naga political issue.
While welcoming the FNTA as a landmark development, the CNCCI cautioned that the absence of a comprehensive political settlement would continue to weigh heavily on the State, warning that without an early and lasting solution, even historic achievements could fall short of their full potential.
The statement came in the backdrop of the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) in New Delhi on February 5 between the Government of India, the Government of Nagaland and representatives of the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), paving the way for the formation of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) ‘within Nagaland,’ covering six districts of the State.
