DIMAPUR, AUGUST 24 (MExN): The Naga Hoho today issued a clarification to the letter published by the family of Late Imkongmeren, where the latter had informed that they would not be participating in the dedication of the Late Imkongmeren Memorial Park.
In its clarification, the executive council of the Naga Hoho said it does not have any ulterior motives other than to set up the Imkongmeren Memorial Park “as a mark of respect to your father who for us is a revered and a highly regarded leader.”
“The present Naga Hoho team being a part and parcel of this project from its nascent stage felt it was our priority and responsibility to dedicate the park for the Naga people before the new Naga Hoho team took over,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Naga Hoho clarified that the construction of the park began in 2012 not 2014; adding that it invested Rs. 20,00,000 till 2013 for the construction and a tentative program was made to dedicate the park on November 13, 2013. It however recalled that the park could not be dedicated on the set date “because of wrong portrait of Late Imkongmeren and few other unfinished tasks.”
It further informed that the new tenure of Naga Hoho accompanied by Ao Senden met the Longkhum Village Council on September 16, 2015 and resolved to redesign the park and complete the project at the earliest possible.
Consequently, it said that a Construction Committee was constituted and a stone artist was engaged to improvise and redesign the park at the cost of Rs.9, 00,000.
It recalled that “unfortunately, the crisis in Naga Hoho started in 2016 and both the construction and dedication of park had to be neglected due to non-payment to the artist for quite some time as you have rightly pointed out. However, the project was almost completed except for some finishing touches and the final dedication.”
“Unexpectedly, the Naga Hoho learned from others that your family is preparing to dedicate the park on May 29,” it said, informing that the hoho subsequently asked the family not to go ahead with the dedication. It had also stated that “the Park was created recognizing the leadership of Imkongmeren as the first Vice President of undivided NNC and therefore the park belong to the Naga people and not to the family and you may have to pay back our investment if you go ahead with the dedication.”
The Naga Hoho further said that it met with another immediate family member of late Imkongmeren who reportedly stated that “the Chief Minister called me earlier and discussed about the park, and our family have also incurred expenditures in the park, and our family had family prayer on May 29 coinciding with our mother’s death anniversary but dedication was not done, Naga Hoho may go ahead with the dedication programme and there is no objection by the family”.
According to the Naga Hoho, it asked the family to “submit the expenditure bills to Naga Hoho so as to reimburse the bills at the earliest. On the same day, the Naga Hoho team also visited the memorial park site at Longkhum village and there was neither epitaph nor any official notice/sign indicating day of dedication or dedicated by Rev T Aka Jamir as claimed by your family.”
It meanwhile informed that, with this understanding, the Naga Hoho made a brass epitaph at the cost of Rs 65,000 and published 300 copies of life sketch of late Imkongmeren. “Altogether, the Naga Hoho invested not less than Rs.30,00,000 within the span of two Naga Hoho tenures through the contribution of Naga leaders, well wishers and tribe hohos,” it said.
The Naga Hoho added that it decided to postpone the dedication ceremony date as a result of the family’s recent letter. It rued that the “family has badly castigated the Naga Hoho without having the graciousness to voice your concerns to Naga Hoho first before making it public.”
“The picture you have painted in public shows, as if the entire project was sponsored and conceptualized by your family and that Naga Hoho had irresponsibly neglected the construction and the dedication and for this your family had no option but to take over the responsibility of the project on your shoulders,” it lamented.
“Finally it is up to your family to judge whether Imkongmeren Park belongs to your family or the Naga people. Leaving issues aside, we sincerely believe that the memorial park of Late Imkongmeren deserves a proper befitting inauguration/dedication under the aegis of any appropriate frontal organization,” the Naga Hoho said.
.JPG)
