The 12 hours ‘dawn to dusk’ total bandh called by Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) is underway in all the six districts in the Eastern Nagaland region – Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensang.

In Tuensang Headquarter, where all leaders of the ENPO frontal organizations have been summoned to be present, the bandh is being observed peacefully with the Chang Khulei Setshang (Chang Tribal Union) and Chang Wedoshi Setshang (Chang Students Conference) strictly monitoring the town.

A deserted Tuensang town on 8th March 2024

The volunteers had earlier communicated stern advice to the people and as a result there is complete shutdown on pedestrian and vehicle movement. All government offices and institutes have been deserted and no security personnel can be sighted. Even children cannot be seen playing outside on a holiday.

It has been informed that after 6:00 pm, when the bandh is relaxed, the ENPO will hold a meeting to decide the next step to be taken as the people of Eastern Nagaland await for response from the Government of India. The organization further appealed people to stand together as one for the rightful creation of Frontier Nagaland Territory.

The bandh is being held in protest against the delay in the settlement for the creation of Frontier Nagaland Territory as proposed and assured by the Government of India.

In June 2023, GoI through the Ministry of Home Affairs offered ENPO the formation of FNT with legislative, executive, administration and financial autonomy. An interim body was planned to be constituted within one year of the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) being signed but there has been no development since then.

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While campaigning for People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) in Tuensang ahead of last year’s Nagaland Assembly elections, Union Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah declared that an agreement will be signed after the election is over.

“I want to convey that after the election is over, the Home Ministry will sign an agreement keeping in mind the demands of the ENPO,” Shah said on 21 February 2023. The previous day in Mon Town, the Union Minister assured that “all these issues will be solved by the BJP-NDPP government” when PDA comes back to power in Nagaland.

“In faith”, ENPO, the apex body of the seven tribes of Eastern Nagaland – Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir and Yimkhiung – relaxed its resolution to boycott the 14th NLA elections.

As the Lok Sabha elections approach, the Organization has again decided to boycott the elections in the region. During a rally held on 9th February 2024 in Tuensang, ENPO cautioned that it will be compelled to take its own course of action if GoI fails to give a date for signing the MoS before the Election Model Code of Conduct is announced.

It was during the Joint Coordination meeting held at Dimapur on 5th March 2024 where frontal organizations resolved to hold today’s ‘dawn to dusk’ bandh from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.