Kohima, July 30: The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has expressed utmost concern on “the unchecked and growing presence of illegal immigrants in Nagaland”.
In a statement issued today, the NPF said it has always stood steadfast in defending the land, identity, and political future of the Naga people. “Today, we are compelled to raise a serious alarm over a threat more insidious than any external aggression, the unchecked and growing presence of illegal immigrants in Nagaland”, it stated.
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The NPF then said the entire Nagaland, especially districts like Peren, Dimapur, Niuland, Wokha, Mokokchung, Longleng and Mon, which share boundary with Assam, have been facing the brunt of illegal immigrants, particularly from Bangladesh. The party further said these are not just temporary labourers; many have entrenched themselves deeply in “our economy, markets, trade unions, land ownership, and even in our electoral rolls”. The NPF added, “Nagaland is being demographically altered before our very eyes”.
The NPF then said these individuals, without roots in “our land or any legal standing”, are today running businesses, buying land, manipulating documentation, and enrolling as voters using forged papers. This is not a hypothetical threat, it is a lived reality, the NPF added.
The statement also said, “The NPF, grounded in the genuine aspirations of the Naga people, stresses that this issue must not be taken on communal or religious lines”. It is about the rightful protection of indigenous rights, land, and identity, it stated.
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The NPF then called for the strict and comprehensive implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), especially in Dimapur and other vulnerable border regions. Border control mechanisms must be fortified, and police outposts strengthened with adequate manpower and modern resources, it also said.
The NPF reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment” to safeguard the rights and future of the Naga people. The NPF also called upon all concerned, civil society, political leadership, and the public, to act urgently and unitedly against the growing menace of illegal immigration.
(Newmai News Network)