The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) on May 30 accused the Nagaland government of backtracking on key commitments in the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on February 5, 2026, saying any weakening of the pact would “destroy the whole MoA.” The ENPO said the state has made a “U-turn” on core provisions that promise a self‑governing territorial authority with legislative, executive and financial autonomy for Eastern Nagaland within the state, and warned it will not accept changes after the agreement was signed in New Delhi.
In a press communiqué, the ENPO said it was taking “serious note” of the state government’s conduct and reiterated that the FNTA’s defining feature is its institutional autonomy, with special responsibilities assigned to the Governor to safeguard that integrity. “Any deletion or modification to this core principle after signing shall amount to destroying the whole MoA,” the organisation said.
The ENPO said the state had earlier signalled agreement to the autonomous arrangement. It noted the Nagaland government’s official comments in November 2024 had accepted the proposal during discussions on the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) that the Ministry of Home Affairs presented in 2023, and that those comments included acceptance of legislative, executive and financial autonomy for the FNTA.
The organisation accused the state of attempting to reverse that position and described the development as unfortunate, raising doubts about the state government’s sincerity in the tripartite process. The ENPO also questioned why the Advocate General was reportedly kept out of nearly three years of negotiations, only for legal objections to emerge after the MoA was signed. It said any lapse in involving the Advocate General is the state government’s responsibility and cannot justify delaying or obstructing implementation.
The ENPO warned against shifting blame to the Centre, saying any adverse consequences from delays or deviations would rest with the Nagaland government. It called on the state to honour its commitments and to act in good faith to implement the MoA without dilution.
Reiterating its demand, the ENPO urged the Nagaland government to table and pass the FNTA Bill in the state assembly exactly as per the signed MoA. To build consensus, the organisation has scheduled a consultative meeting in Tuensang on June 2, 2026, with leaders and workers of national and state parties, and will hold its Central Executive Council meeting on June 3, 2026. Rajya Sabha MP Phangnon Konyak, members of the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union and former parliamentarians from the region have been invited; political parties have been asked to send three‑member delegations and tribal councils have also been invited to participate.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/enpo-accuses-nagaland-government-of-u-turn-on-fnta-agreement
Category: Nagaland
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Publish Date: 2026-05-30 23:24:00
