DIMAPUR, JUNE 1 (MExN): It was proposed in the early seventies of a road directly connecting Dimapur with Mon without touching Assam. Four decades on, the dream project remains more or less a reverie for the people of Nagaland. Spurred on by the inaction of the government in this regard and the recent May 24 incident in Mariani town under Jorhat, Assam, strong voices are now looming on the possibility of the people taking it upon themselves to start laying the foundations of the road.
The likelihood of it happening was mooted at a conclave of four Ao citizens forums, namely - Ao Senso Telongjem Dimapur (Ao citizens forum, Dimapur), Ao Union Kohima, Medziphema Ao Union and, Chumukedima Ao Union held in Dimapur on Saturday, June 1. And it seems likely, if, the government chooses to further remain idle on this aspect.
The four forums however said that the government will be approached first before the proposal is put into action. “But we will first approach the government with the demand for expediting effort to start work on the long proposed Naga Foothill road,” and await response, said the president of the ASTD, Supu Jamir on the ambitious proposal. And if there is no positive response from the government, the four forums with the endorsement of the apex Ao citizens’s forum – the Ao Senden - will be compelled to mobilise resources of its own, however small the amount may be, to start work on the road, it was added. The likelihood of other Naga tribal bodies joining the mission for a common good was also not ruled out. It further stated that a core committee will be formed to work out modalities for the plan.
Ao forums on TL Angami’s ‘Longterok’ comment
Furthermore, the ASTD president said that various Ao citizens’ forums have taken strong note of TL Angami’s recent remark on the origin of the Ao. Terming the comment as “meaningless”, the president said that the Ao community is deeply offended and more so hurt by the commentary which was published in the local dailies on May 30.
