In a significant development, the State Cabinet approved the establishment of Shamator district on Wednesday, as well as the recognition of Tikhir as a separate Naga tribe. Shamator is now the state’s 16th district, and with Tikhirs recognised as a separate tribe, the state now has 17 officially recognised tribes.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between representatives of the Yimkhiung and Tikhir tribes in the presence of principal secretary to chief minister KD Vizo, principal secretary (home) Abhijit Sinha, and commissioner Nagaland Rovilatuo Mor before the cabinet decision.

On behalf of the Yimkhiung tribe, YTC president Throngso Yimkhiung, YGB president K Lakiumong, and YAA president Achung Jangleh signed the MoU, while TTC president Topan K Tikhir, TTC general secretary W Tothong Philip, and TTC adviser Kiusumong Tikhir signed the MoU.

The MoU states that neither tribe will take any coercive measures to ensure the retention or reversion of any member of the Tikhir community to the Yimkhiung community or any member of the Yimkhiung community to the Tikhir community. It is also very clear that every member of the Tikhir or Yimkhiung community has the right to choose which community he or she belongs to, wherever he or she may be.

The MoU also states that any dispute between members of the two tribes will be localised and resolved through customary laws and practises, with the status quo maintained.

According to Home Commissioner Abhijit Sinha, following the signing of the MoU and at the invitation of the cabinet, the presidents of the YTC and TTC, as well as other tribal representatives, met with the cabinet and discussed the agreement reached between them.

The cabinet also took note of the resolutions adopted at the joint consultative meeting between the YTC and TTC on January 13, in which both sides unanimously agreed to support the upgradation of Shamator sub-division to a full-fledged district, with the YTC agreeing to Tikhirs being recognised as a separate Naga tribe, according to Sinha.

Meanwhile, TTC adviser Joseph Kius Tikhir, who attended the Wednesday meeting, told Nagaland Post that at the initiative of the State government, both YTC and TTC came to an amicable understanding to maintain and respect one another in the future. He also stated that both tribes agreed to coexist peacefully and to assist one another.

The Tikhirs’ struggle for recognition as a separate tribe had lasted 40 years, according to the adviser.
He also praised the state government, led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio and deputy chief minister Y Patton, for finally resolving the long-standing issue. It may be recalled that on December 18, last year, the State Cabinet agreed in principle to grant Shamator the status of district.

However, it was discovered that the establishment of a separate district (Shamator) would be possible only if the various tribes residing in the sub-division agreed on the matter. As a result, on January 7, the State Cabinet decided to form a “third party committee” to deliberate/consult on the creation of the Shamator district.

As previously reported in this newspaper, during a consultative meeting convened by Nagaland’s commissioner on January 13, both tribes – Yimkhungs and Tikhirs – agreed not to claim Shamator as an exclusive Yimkhiung or Tikhir district, but rather as a district shared by both.

The meeting also recommended that Tikhirs be recognised as an official Naga tribe. Shamator-Chessore legislator S Keoshu, principal secretary to chief minister KD Vizo, principal secretary (home) Abhijit Sinha, convener of Nagaland’s 14 Tribes KT Vilie, and ten representatives from Yimkhiung Tribal Council and Tikhir Tribal Council attended the consultative meeting.

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