Only Nagas are indigenous to Nagaland: NSF’s Inner Line Regulation Commission

The Inner Line Regulation Commission (ILRC) of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has strongly reacted to a statement by the Rising People’s Party (RPP) published in local dailies on October 1, under the headline “RPP dismayed at the omission of non-Naga indigenous tribes.”

The NSF-ILRC has questioned the RPP on its claim, asking, “Who are the so-called non-Naga indigenous tribes in Nagaland?”

According to the NSF, the Nagas are the only indigenous people of Nagaland and other Naga-inhabited areas. While acknowledging that other tribes and communities have settled in Naga areas over time, the federation asserted that migrants cannot be considered indigenous.

“The United Nations has clearly defined the term ‘indigenous’ to preserve the distinct status of people who are original inhabitants of a land. To call migrants indigenous undermines the sanctity of the Nagas, who have lived in these lands since time immemorial,” the NSF said in its statement.

The federation maintained that the Nagaland Government’s decision regarding indigeneity is appropriate, dismissing RPP’s criticism that the move “reflected poorly on policymakers.”
“The RPP’s comment only displays ignorance and undermines the uniqueness of the Nagas in their ancestral homeland,” the NSF stated.

At the same time, the NSF acknowledged the presence of non-Nagas who settled in Nagaland before December 1, 1963, the date when Nagaland attained statehood. It urged the government to grant them suitable legal status to safeguard their recognition.

The federation also appealed to these early settlers not to be swayed by unnecessary fears but to register their claims so that their status is not diluted by later arrivals or self-interested groups.

The NSF reaffirmed its firm position that the indigeneity of Nagas cannot be eroded by any factor and remains intrinsic to their ancestral land.