By Imkong Walling
Nagaland has, in all likelihood, another boundary-related row in its hands. The 6 decades old boundary quarrel, with Assam, has been the subject of several violent skirmishes over the intervening years. Even seemingly shared ventures, like the purported joint eviction exercise against “illegal immigrants” in July-August in the Golaghat-Wokha segment of the Disputed Area Belt, not failing to generate friction between the neighbours.
The latest skirmish, however, has come coated in the guise of protest against the controversial oil palm initiative of the Government of India. Epicentred at the Nagaland State Seed Farm in Merapani (Marachu), Wokha, the protest saw people from the Assam side, claiming to be farmers, picketing the seed farm for two days on September 15 and 16.
As reported in the news, citing an Agriculture Department official of the Nagaland government, the protest was projected as over the introduction of oil palm plantation in the seed farm, and the risk it posed to paddy cultivation in the surrounding area. According to the official, the real motive was however rooted in the long-standing border dispute between Nagaland and Assam, and the claims that the land on which the seed farm sits, belongs to the latter.
Geographically, and technically, the seed farm is a Nagaland exclave, surrounded by the DAB. In its defence, Nagaland has an agreement taken at the Chief Secretarial-level of the two state governments in 1982, in which the Assam government agreed to protect the preexisting boundaries of the former’s seed farm in Merapani from any intrusion.
It is well apparent the Assam government has chosen to ignore the 1982 agreement, and perhaps tacitly supporting and using pressure groups as proxies to aggravate the sense of unease in an already fragile environment, while it conveniently waves the friendship flag.
The neighbour has also overlooked the fact that the boundary dispute remains unsettled, dragging on at the Supreme Court since 1988.
While the proprietary dispute over the seed farm land and the wider boundary dispute drags on, Nagaland could have done better to keep this agricultural asset up and living up to its intended purpose. Neglect and isolation is writ large all over the 56 year-old farm, struggling to survive with rundown structures, skeletal staff, and no electricity or running water.
It has no state police security, sharing space with a unit of the Central Reserve Police Force, which primary task has been to maintaining vigil in the DAB.
Over the years, the isolated seed farm has become a convenient target of hostility and vandalism in equal measure. The lack of security is apparent in an incident dating to April 2, 2025, when half a kilometre of bamboo fencing was destroyed by unknown goons. The case remains unsolved.
Meanwhile, the threat of agitation looms. The protestors, or the people claiming to be farmers, have warned of resuming their agitation from September 25, if the oil palm plantation is not stopped.
The writer is a Principal Correspondent at The Morung Express. Comments can be sent to imkongwalls@gmail.com
