Kigwema | April 13 : Tension is running high along the Nagaland-Manipur border with the standoff between the Southern Angami and Mao communities threatening to lead to a confrontation over the Kezol dispute. As the agitation in the form of restriction of social mobility for people belonging to the Mao community spearheaded by the Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) entered the third day today, officials enforcing the agitation hinted at much sterner action in the second phase of its agitation. The first phase of the agitation will expire on Friday.
Volunteers of SAYO have set up check points along the National Highway 29 at Kigwema where volunteers are checking vehicles and identifying people belonging to the Mao community and preventing them from entering or exiting the point. Those identified as Mao are being sent back to either side and prevented from crossing the check point.
According to some of the officials enforcing the blockade, after expiry of the first phase, the SAYO would hold meetings with the Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) to decide the next course of action.
After the SAYO had launched the five-day blockade from April 11, the situation was further aggravated yesterday after the Mao Council strongly condemned the SAYO and also expressed resentment over the restriction of social mobility of the Mao people in Southern Angami area.
Following the standoff, the Angami Public Organisation (APO) had met the Mao Council in an effort to break the impasse.
Volunteers of SAYO have set up check points along the National Highway 29 at Kigwema where volunteers are checking vehicles and identifying people belonging to the Mao community and preventing them from entering or exiting the point. Those identified as Mao are being sent back to either side and prevented from crossing the check point.
According to some of the officials enforcing the blockade, after expiry of the first phase, the SAYO would hold meetings with the Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) to decide the next course of action.
After the SAYO had launched the five-day blockade from April 11, the situation was further aggravated yesterday after the Mao Council strongly condemned the SAYO and also expressed resentment over the restriction of social mobility of the Mao people in Southern Angami area.
Following the standoff, the Angami Public Organisation (APO) had met the Mao Council in an effort to break the impasse.
SAPO for resolving issue with Mao Council amicably
DIMAPUR, APRIL 13 (MExN): The Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) has affirmed that it “wholeheartedly” wanted to resolve the issue with the Mao Council amicably, for which it has put its trust and confidence on the Tenyimi Public Organization (TPO) and that this “should also be met with the same good faith, trust and mutual respect from the other party”. “It is pertinent to mention that when the Memei Council could not adhere to the respectable agreement and intentionally violating its provisions, it is left to the general public to judge whether SAPO/SAYO’s action is justified or not”, stated a press note issued by Zadeho Rikha and Medozhase Sale President and General Secretary respectively of the SAPO.
The SAPO was responding to the news item published in the Local Dailies on 12th April 2011 as issued by the Moa Council whereby “it attempted to exculpate itself from all blames and tried to paint the Southern Angami people with the horns”.
The SAPO however stated that it fully concurred with the Moa Council that the Mao and Angami people, as neighbours, “have long fraternal relationship, and it will continue to remain so as long as we remain true to ourselves and live together with trust and mutual respect as in the past, without allowing enticement of external forces, vested interest and avariciousness coming between our people”.
Prior to the arbitrary division that has been imposed on us through political boundary there was no known dispute amongst the Maos and Angamis on the issues of Dzukou valley or Kezoltsa, as the traditional ownership was well respected, stated the press note from the SAPO while adding that as a tradition, “neighbouring villages used to pay nominal tax as a token of acknowledgement of ownership to the Southern Angami villages for permission to use forest and land resources in those areas”. “But only long after the division of our land and formation of states to Nagaland and Manipur, with forces playing on vested interest, all these problems and disputes have cropped up”, the SAPO maintained.
The SAPO was responding to the news item published in the Local Dailies on 12th April 2011 as issued by the Moa Council whereby “it attempted to exculpate itself from all blames and tried to paint the Southern Angami people with the horns”.
The SAPO however stated that it fully concurred with the Moa Council that the Mao and Angami people, as neighbours, “have long fraternal relationship, and it will continue to remain so as long as we remain true to ourselves and live together with trust and mutual respect as in the past, without allowing enticement of external forces, vested interest and avariciousness coming between our people”.
Prior to the arbitrary division that has been imposed on us through political boundary there was no known dispute amongst the Maos and Angamis on the issues of Dzukou valley or Kezoltsa, as the traditional ownership was well respected, stated the press note from the SAPO while adding that as a tradition, “neighbouring villages used to pay nominal tax as a token of acknowledgement of ownership to the Southern Angami villages for permission to use forest and land resources in those areas”. “But only long after the division of our land and formation of states to Nagaland and Manipur, with forces playing on vested interest, all these problems and disputes have cropped up”, the SAPO maintained.
