Kohima, May 3: NSCN-IM has called for complete ban on any kind of exploration for oil and natural gas in Naga territories till the political settlement between the Nagas and government of India is formally reached.
“Ever since Nagaland state was created in 1963 the Government of India has been casting covetous eyes on Nagas’ mineral wealth as Nagaland state is endowed with variety of mineral deposits, particularly petroleum. But the sticking point is the unresolved political issue that is still hanging fire in the negotiating table for more than 25 years,” stated NSCN-IM press release.
It further stated, “Significantly, more than two decades back National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) had issued standing order that no mineral wealth in Naga areas will be allowed for exploration and extraction until political settlement is arrived at. This order still stands valid today. Therefore, no amount of justification in the name of mobilizing financial resources for development will stand to ride roughshod over the inalienable Naga people’s rights over their land resources.”
It noted that this oil issue has come at the time when the Government of India is showing no sincerity and commitment to respect the historical and political rights of the Naga people as enshrined in the historic Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, and pulling the Indo-Naga political talks for more than 25 years on flimsy ground of negotiating on the non-negotiable issue of Naga National Flag and Constitution. The 600 million tonnes of oil and natural gas reserves is a blessed wealth of Nagas and no authority will be given the liberty to exploit so long as Government of India continues to handle the Naga political issue with flattering and betraying fashion, it maintained.
As much as Government of India attaches huge economic significance to the mineral wealth, particularly oil and natural gas of Nagaland, the same degree of political commitment should be demonstrated in a meaningful and credible manner as demanded by the ongoing Indo-Naga political talks, it added.
It argued that the Nagas would not like to stand out as a laughing stock before the world when the Naga political issue after signing the Framework Agreement in 2015 is still made to look like a strange shambling figure. “Thus, what belongs to the Naga people will not be allowed to be subjugated like we find during the era of colonialism. Priority has to be set in correct perspective. Until honourable political settlement between the Nagas and Government of India is reached, no exploration of oil and natural gas in Naga territories in any form shall be allowed,” NSCN-IM asserted in the statement.
Meanwhile, Oil India Limited (OIL) plans to start exploration in Nagaland once the climate is conducive. OIL is planning to do a 3D seismic survey of 4000 sq km of area in Upper Assam. OIL has done seismic data accusation of the areas in the Northern bank of Brahmaputra in Assam.
Speaking to media persons in Guwahati on Monday, Chairman and Managing Director of OIL Ranjit Rath said, “We already started exploration in Mizoram. Further study is going on to further explore. In Tripura we have assets and exploration is done. In the Northern bank of Brahmaputra River, Pathshala and Mangaldoi are covered under Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) bidding. We have done seismic data acquisition.”
