Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) president, Chingmak Chang also informed that the student body is “firm” on its stand not to participate in the 23rd edition of the Hornbill Festival 2022.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO), the apex body of the seven tribes representing the Eastern Nagaland will not participate in the 23rd edition of the famed “Hornbill Festival 2022” to kick-start on December 1, at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, Kohima. ENPO has also asked all the 20 MLAs from the region to resign in support of their statehood demand.
On this issue, the Nagaland state cabinet had on November 28 held a meeting and appealed to the ENPO and the other tribes under the jurisdiction of Eastern Nagaland to let them participate in the Hornbill Festival by allowing their cultural troupes to join the festival. It was also informed that various grievances raised by the ENPO would be taken care of with regard to the cultural troupes at the Hornbill Festival 2022 by providing necessary additional facilities.
Though the Nagaland government had on November 26 tried its best on to convince the tribes of the seven districts of the Eastern Nagaland to revoke their decision to “boycott” the Hornbill Festival, it was stated that the “closed-door” meet could not yield any positive outcome.
Meanwhile, it is pertinent to mention that the Nagaland government has already relayed to the ENPO that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah has given his green signal to meet its delegation on December 3 in New Delhi.
‘ENSF firm on not to participate in the 23rd edition of Hornbill Festival’
Meanwhile, Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) president, Chingmak Chang, informed this correspondent that the ENSF is “firm” on its stand not to participate in the 23rd edition of the Hornbill Festival 2022.
Stating that this was not the first resolution being adopted on not participating in the festival, Chingmak said that the resolution was adopted in Tuensang on October 14 and again reaffirmed it on November 16 at a meet in Mon district.
Disclosing that the Nagaland chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, had convened a “closed door” meeting with the representatives from the ENPO areas on November 26 at Rhododendron Hall, Police Complex, Chumukedima, where the ENSF, the participating representatives had made it known that the it was still firm with its decision (s), “A confusion has been created even today where the Nagaland government are inviting the Village Guards (VGs) for this year’s edition of the Hornbill festival whereas they were deprived of the same”, said the ENSF president. He said the VGs may participate in their traditional attire with their official uniform with 303 rifles”.
Chingmak reiterated that the Nagaland government had never issued any traditional attires to the VGs in the Eastern Nagaland areas including the Pochury areas. He was of the view that the government was up with some tricks and said that since the ENSF has already resolved not to participate in the Hornbill Festival 2022, the Nagaland government should also respect the decision.