Saringyim villagers determined to safeguard land
Mokokchung, May 29 (MExN): Officials from the Ao Senden today visited Saringyim at the Nagaland-Assam border and held a meeting with the villagers and assured them that the bandh on the two roads (Mariani and Amguri roads) will continue until and unless the governments of Nagaland and Assam assure the Ao Senden of concrete actions.
The Ao Senden delegation led by its General Secretary Tsupong Longchar arrived at the Saringyim village and informed the villagers of the mass support from different sections of the society towards the bandh. He also informed that the Nagaland Home Minister, Kaito Aye and some 13 Ministers and MLAs will visit Mokokchung on Thursday, May 30 to take stock of the situation. The Senden’s General Secretary however avowed that the bandh will continue until and unless the state government shows some concrete action being undertaken with regard to the charter of demands put forth by the Senden. Besides, the Ao Senden also needs a response from the Assam Government towards their charter of demands for the bandh to be lifted.
The Saringyim Village Council members, while speaking at the interactive session, apprised the Ao Senden that since the present issue is related to land, the Nokpu/Saringyim village will fight ‘tooth and nail’ to safeguard the land from encroaching adivasis. They asserted that the Saringyim area does not fall in a disputed zone and that this is a clear case of encroachment by adivasis on Naga land. The villagers averred that they will fight to thwart off any elements that try to encroach on their land.
The villagers informed that the Saringyim village has also cut off all contact with the adivasis and is steadfastly supporting the Ao Senden bandh. It has also been learnt that the adivasis, who work as daily wage labourers at Saringyim are distraught since their daily wage earning job has been cut off.
Every day, more than 200 adivasis come to Saringyim to work as daily wage earners in the tea gardens, the rubber farms and as household help, said Akum Jamir, a government teacher at Saringyim. Now with their daily source of income cut off, we hear that the daily wage earners who used to work at Saringyim are now frustrated, he added. Nonetheless, the situation at Saringyim is calm as of now. Saying that the Assam government has deployed police and CRPF along the border areas, the villagers appealed the Ao Senden to pressurize the Nagaland authorities to deploy at least one platoon of police to guard the border areas.
Watsu Mungdang supports bandh
The Ao Senden bandh received support from the Watsu Mungdang (apex organization of the Ao women) who visited the Tuli area. Watsu Mungdang officials after assessing the situation asserted that the assault on the Naga women on May 24 at Mariani, causing them immense mental and emotional torture, is totally unacceptable and urged all right thinking citizens to condemn the act of the mob led by an elected MLA, Rupjoyti Kurmi.
Besides, while strongly supporting the Ao Senden’s bandh call, the Watsu Mungdang stated that the Nagas have been undergoing immense hardships due to the frequent bandh called by different organizations in Assam, and therefore, it stated that the Ao Senden’s closure of the Mariani and Amguri roads should convey a message to the Assam based organizations that the Nagas cannot tolerate the undue harassment anymore. The Watsu Mungdang further appealed all sections of the society to support the Ao Senden in their quest for justice.
