Consider Mao tribe recognition: MSTDC

Mao ST Demand Committee (MSTDC) has sought “humane consideration” on the issue of recognition of Mao community as ST in Nagaland.

In a statement, MSTDC convener Pelee Hekha while reiterating its demand on recognition of Mao tribe said there has been a “wrong impression and misconception” being created amongst the Nagas over the issue.

He reminded that even if Mao tribe was recognized, the Maos in other states like Manipur would remain citizens of that state as they were not residents of Nagaland.

Pelee Hekha said the representation made by a sizable number of Mao community members who were permanent residents of Nagaland should be to be given a “humane consideration” in the light of the Constitution.

The MSTDC convener lamented that Maos residing in Nagaland have been deprived of social status as a Naga tribe and pointed out that Maos were enjoying the same status at par with the rest of the Nagas earlier.

He claimed that a notification dated April 28, 1977 issued by state home department had “arbitrarily and randomly” overlooked the Maos and deliberately acted without taking into factual ground reality thereby depriving the Maos of similar status like other Naga tribes.

He said this placed the Maos in a similar status like those outside the state despite possessing “ancestral and traditional land” within the state of Nagaland.

Pelee Hekha also argued that there was the fear of speaking out the truth within the Naga society which has resulted into “much harm” meted out to the present generations by “elders of our people and leaders of our society” due to their compromising attitude.

Mao ST Demand Committee convener pointed out that Ao, Angami, Sema, Lotha were considered as the most educated people amongst the Naga tribes and said there were many pioneers in political, social, religious fields besides bureaucrats and technocrats working in different capacities across the country.

With these great achievements, Pelee Hekha argued that they could do more by providing more visionary leaders bringing Nagas together and strengthening the bond of unity among the different tribes.

He stressed on the importance of Naga intellectuals and individuals to see what was just and take reasonable stand in the greater interest of the Nagas which currently seemed to be disintegrating due to “divisive forces” working against the common interest of the Nagas.