Mokokchung, April 10 (MExN): In an open show of non-cooperation against the NSCN (IM) ‘Azha’ which has virtually put a de-facto economic blockade on the Changki citizens of Mokokchung which restricts their movement and transportation of essential commodities to the village, more than a hundred Changki village youths today travelled up to Mariani in Assam to validate whether the routes were open for the Changki citizens to travel.
The move of the Changki youths comes in the wake of the reported restriction on the movement of the Changki citizens to other districts like Dimapur and Kohima and also the transport of essential commodities to the village from outside. Just yesterday on April 9, 2012 it was reported that the Changki to Dimapur bus was halted near Longpha Yimsen junction and asked to move back by the NSCN (IM) cadres; while a Maruti Van carrying passengers from Changki to Kohima were also forced to return back to the village near Chungtia village in Mokokchung.
Today’s march against the restriction on the movement of the Changki citizens was organized by the “Ali Khon Zunga” (Age group of the village) and over a hundred members of the age group travelled in a bus and a Tata Pick-up truck up till Mariani in Assam and returned back without any untoward incident.
Though the NAP and IRB personnel were seen at Mariani, and the Mokokchung ADC Kesono Yhome at Tsutapela Gate, the village youths maintained that they have no knowledge about their presence and that they have not informed either the police or the administration regarding their march. The Changki villagers asserted that they have not intimated the security forces or the district administration about the proposed march.
Changki village youth leaders who arrived a Mariani maintained that they simply came along the route, with all good intentions, to verify about the restriction of movement on the Changki villagers since for the past few days the citizens of Changki travelling to and from the village were harassed or forced to turn back.
“We have done nothing against the NSCN (IM), and we don’t understand why they act like this,” said a youth leader.
The pamphlet on the Tata Pick-up truck read: Economic Blockade on national Highway ‘Unlawful’ against Ceasefire/Peace process. The Changki youths returned back to their village without any untoward incident.
Nonetheless, a Changki villager, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed deep resentment against the ‘Azha’ passed by the NSCN (IM) on March 19, 2012. “We have equal human rights. Taking such excuses amounts to violation of the same rights against which Changki will fight no matter what it will cost,” he said.
His companion retorted, “If the so called Azha imposed by the NSCN/GPRN was to ban Changki people from associating with the rest of Ao people, we do not understand why some of its cadres are driving away non-local field workers who have nothing to do with Ao customary laws and traditions and why business establishments are ordered to shut. And most importantly why they are trying to impose a de-facto economic blockade against Changki villagers…all these are not mentioned in the Azha.”
On being queried what course of action the Changki villagers will take, the youth (who wished not to be named) responded, “We will defend like any other Naga village. We will keep defending our rights
in order to protect our time tested traditional and customary practices at any cost for posterity.”
So far, there is no report of any physical assaults on any Changki citizens after the ‘Azha’ was imposed by the NSCN (IM). The district administration has dispatched some IRB personnel at Changki X-Junction. “We hope that the government and the law enforcing agencies will not be executing just a face wash preventive measures, but sincerely look into our well-being and safety,” commented a Changki youth about the role of the law enforcing agencies in the issue.
It may be noted here that after the NSCN (IM) passed an ‘Azha’ on the Changki village, no commercial vehicles were allowed to stop at the Changki X-Junction. The movement of the Changki village citizens were restricted, non-local labourers at the paddy fields in Longnak valley were threatened to leave the fields by ‘masked armed men’, and even commercial commodities meant for Changki village were forced to be off-loaded. The stalemate remains and situation seems far from being normal.
