The Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO), Nagaland on Wednesday stated that the Manipur government should pay heed to the call of TPO to withdraw its armed personnel and dismantle the concrete structures, “which were illegally constructed instead of making unfounded claims over Kezoltsa area as Manipur state territorial jurisdiction and political boundary.”
The presence of Manipur government machineries in the said area is evident that, it violates the arbitration undertaking signed by the rightful owners of the land that is the TPO, Board of Arbitrators, Mao Council, Maram and SAPO and wherein, it was firmly resolved that no activity shall be allowed in the disputed area pending resolution, SAYO stated in a release.
SAYO claimed that the area in question was never acquired either by the government of Nagaland or by the government of Manipur.
In customary tradition, land possession is indigenous by nature and the rights of the non-cadastral land rest with its people and the community, it further stated.
Therefore, the question of negotiation over a political boundary between the two state governments or intervention from the government does not arise under any circumstances as the matter is pending in the court of TPO, it further stated.
“The current situation will only further escalate with the involvement and statement of some unions and associations who are randomly threatening to counter the stance of the bandh without understanding the issue or without any objectives to settle the existing issue,” it mentioned.
It also questioned the stand of the government of Assam as to whether they endorsed the counter blockade called by certain Manipur associations in some pockets of the state.
SAYO appreciated the concern of various unions “who understood the stand of Southern Angami in undertaking the efforts to enable an amicable solution to the pending issue through the court of customary traditions.”
