People from Khiamniungan Naga villages of Myanmar & India apprise GoI representative on border fencing at Pangsha
Morung Express News
ITC Dan | January 20
“Our existence is like this- a father may live in Kenphu village (Myanmar) while his son will be here in Pangsha (India). We are all the same,” a villager who had come all the way from Kenphu village in Myanmar to meet the representative from the Government of India (GoI) explained the kinship of the Khiamniungan Nagas, coexisting from two countries-India and Myanmar.
Representatives from the Khiamnungan Naga villages under Myanmar namely Henphu, Solo and Kenphu, had come to ITC Dan village, a Khiamniungan village in the Indian side of the border to attend a consultative meeting with Maj Gen Girish Kumar, head of the boundary cell, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India.
The MEA-GoI representative was at Pangsha to conduct the spot verification of the border fencing carried out by the Government of Myanmar along the Indo-Myanmar border along with Special Secretary (Home) Government of Nagaland, Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) Advisor, Khiamniungan Tribal Council (KTC) and others.
Brethrens from the Indian side - Old and New Pangsha, ITC Dan and Wansoi villages were also at hand to speak their mind at the meeting. The Khiamniungan Nagas from across the border were unison in their apprehension- on how the fencing of the border would tear apart the very soul of the Khiamniungan tribe, who despite being in two countries, has one ancestor, one inherent territory and one traditional one customary practice- in a time-tested existence.
The fencing of the border will not only affect the cultivation practice of the Khiamnuingan people but it will also severe the trade/barter practices among the villages along the border, which for many is a source of livelihood, a representative from Henphu village in Myanmar said.
Many Khiamniungan Naga villages under Myanmar cross the border to buy essential items at Pangsha and Noklak town.
New Pangsha village council chairman questioned the validity of the claim made by the Government of India that it was not aware of the construction of the fencing at the border. He also questioned why India was keeping silent when large tracts of land belonging to her would go to Myanmar once the construction of the international border fencing is completed.
“We will not be happy if the boundary line is physically fenced to divide us,” the chairman said.
Old Pangsha village students’ union president said the representative from the GoI had arrived at a right time-before any serious conflict erupted and appealed for a solution at the earliest. The student leader lamented that the turn of event has transformed to such that “we have no rights in our own land.”
In his response, Gen Maj Kumar assured the villagers he would convey their messages and appeal to the GoI for further action. Pangsha border fencing issue should be taken up at the PM’s level: ENPO ENPO Advisor Toshi Wungtung, who apprised the MEA representative on the ground situation said the ENPO and the Nagas were skeptical over the assertion of the Government of India that it was not aware of the ongoing construction of border fencing along the international border at Pangsha village under Tuensang district.
The fencing construction, which the Government of Myanmar through its foreign ministry had stated that it planned to build the fence in the Naga Self Administered Zone, 10 meters from the demarcated border with India, will cut off 3,500 acres of arable land belonging to the Khiamniungan Naga tribe.
Even if India is not involved in the construction of the border fencing, the claim that it is not aware what is going on at the border is highly questionable, Wungtung told the MEA representative. “We need to go deeper, we need to get to the bottom of it, before things go out of hand,” the ENPO Advisor stated.
According to the ENPO Advisor, unlike Pakistan and India, Myanmar and India are “friendly country” and therefore the claim that it was not aware of the ongoing activities at the international boundary sounded dubious. On this, India need to be more transparent in its dealings, Wungtung said while demanding that the issue at hand be taken up at the Prime Minister level. “However, we are hopeful and confident that India will protest our interest before things go out of hand,” Wungtung said.
