Dimapur, July 3 (MExN): The Zeliangrong Volunteers for Forest & Environmental Protection has given the State Government, seven days time to evict all “encroachers and land invaders” from Ntangki National Park” while encroachers and land invaders are warned to immediately vacate Ntangki National Park voluntarily within the stipulated time.
The volunteers in a press statement appended by its Commander D. Newmai stated that the government must implement its demand from the date of issue of “this Statement”.
Stating that “failing which the Zeliangrong Volunteers for Forest & Environmental Protection will carry out future course of action and shall not be held responsible for any eventualities whatsoever”.
The Zeliangrong Volunteers for Forest & Environmental Protection in the note also affirmed that it is responsible for the June 30 incident that took place inside Ntangki National Park. However, it also stated the Zeliangrong people had served several Petitions and Ultimatums to the State Government with no action or positive response pertaining to rampant encroachment and invasion inside Ntangki National Park for which, the State Government holds total responsibility for the June 30 incident.
The note stated that within this year, they evicted encroachers and land invaders from Ntangki National Park four times but there was never any intention of creating bloodshed. “The 30th June bloodshed was inevitable as they started firing from sophisticated weapons and as such, the Volunteers retaliated in self-defence leading to the death of two land invaders and injuring others.”
In regard to State Government granting ex-gratia , it stated: “It is surprising that the State Government has declared to grant ex-gratia to land invaders who had encroached Ntangki National Park while the slightest attention was not paid to the Villagers of Beisumpuikam who were attacked by land invaders while they were working in the Paddy field on 28th March, critically injuring 4 Villagers. This action of the Government is directly violating the Consultative Meeting Resolution for protection of Ntangki National Park in the interest of the whole Nagas.”
The volunteers in a press statement appended by its Commander D. Newmai stated that the government must implement its demand from the date of issue of “this Statement”.
Stating that “failing which the Zeliangrong Volunteers for Forest & Environmental Protection will carry out future course of action and shall not be held responsible for any eventualities whatsoever”.
The Zeliangrong Volunteers for Forest & Environmental Protection in the note also affirmed that it is responsible for the June 30 incident that took place inside Ntangki National Park. However, it also stated the Zeliangrong people had served several Petitions and Ultimatums to the State Government with no action or positive response pertaining to rampant encroachment and invasion inside Ntangki National Park for which, the State Government holds total responsibility for the June 30 incident.
The note stated that within this year, they evicted encroachers and land invaders from Ntangki National Park four times but there was never any intention of creating bloodshed. “The 30th June bloodshed was inevitable as they started firing from sophisticated weapons and as such, the Volunteers retaliated in self-defence leading to the death of two land invaders and injuring others.”
In regard to State Government granting ex-gratia , it stated: “It is surprising that the State Government has declared to grant ex-gratia to land invaders who had encroached Ntangki National Park while the slightest attention was not paid to the Villagers of Beisumpuikam who were attacked by land invaders while they were working in the Paddy field on 28th March, critically injuring 4 Villagers. This action of the Government is directly violating the Consultative Meeting Resolution for protection of Ntangki National Park in the interest of the whole Nagas.”
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